No Wonder She's Not Listening

Photo by Molly Viglione Photography, 2012
www.mollyviglionephotography.blogspot.com

Abby had her annual well-child checkup on Wednesday. When the doctor came in and asked if I had any questions or concerns, I piped up. Lately, I can be standing only feet away from her, and speaking to her normally - and she completely ignores me. But not in a defiant way - just...I don't know...like she genuinely can't hear me.

I know kids can have selective hearing sometimes, but this is different.

Hmmm. He looked at the results of the hearing test the nurse had administered only 10 minutes previous: she had passed, but "certainly not with flying colors." In fact, she had just barely eeked by.

"I'll take a look," he said.

He did. "No wonder she's not listening to you," he said as he put the otoscope in the second ear, "I can't even see her eardrums. There is so much wax build up in the way."

The remedy? So easy. A warm-water-and-peroxide flush, and follow up with peroxide drops in the ear once a day for a few days. Her hearing is already improved quite a bit, because we're working to clean the blockage out.

I AM SO MUCH LIKE MY CHILDREN SOMETIMES.

How often has God pleaded with me, never far from me, only for me to not hear Him? As in, not deliberately disobeying Him, but I can't hear His still, steady voice?

What is blocking me from hearing Him?

Noise. Almost constant noise in my life. I say that I like silence, but I don't mean that. I mean I like it when I'm not being bothered - but honestly, I can't stand total silence. There is almost always some form of noise in the background. Otherwise, I might have the presence of mind to memorize and meditate on God and His Word, and hear those still, soft thoughts that keep trying to make their way past the clamor.

Perhaps it's the radio. A movie. A TV Show. Praise music. Sermons. Long chats.

"But Lisha!!!" you are thinking, "those are all good things! God speaks to us sometimes through all of those ways!"

He does - and He often does in my life, too. Those things aren't bad - unless they are keeping me from hearing His Words clearly - and sometimes, I find I rely on the radio, music, sermons, & what other people are saying about God instead of seeking His face and His heart for myself.

More often than not, I find in the Scriptures that the Lord will speak when we are willing to be still before Him, with time in His Word and in prayer. Alone. No podcasts or Pandora, no TV or talking it up with a friend. Just escaping the din and resting quietly before Him in anticipation of hearing what He has to say.

And, for me (NOTTT a morning person), for YEARS God has been asking me to be willing to rise up early in the morning. To listen to & commune sweetly with Him before my day begins. I keep trying. Most of my quiet time happens either in the afternoon when the girls have 30-ish minutes of "rest time" (or, 'please-stay-quietly-in-your-bedroom-time'), or after everyone else is in bed.

I am so grateful for the many lessons God has taught me through the ordinary moments (like cleaning wax out of little ears!) with my daughters, and how He prompts me to press on toward Jesus through His extraordinary patience & grace.

Lord, help me to cut out any noise that's keeping me from listening to You.

Do you find that you are addicted to noise and to what other people say and sing about the Lord instead of listening for Him on your own?

I want to hear Him,
for His glory!
~Lisha

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