My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words – Proverbs 4:20 (NLT)
Have you ever been guilty of not paying attention? Maybe your mom was talking to you, but you tuned her out and were thinking about how after dinner you got to go play Fortnite. And even though you didn’t really mean to, you missed most of what she was saying because you mind was focused on something else.
It’s really easy to do the same thing to God. Perhaps you have heard the Bible verse being preached at church hundreds of times and so you sort of zone out. Or maybe you know what the Bible says to do, but you don’t really want to do it because it’s hard so you try not to think about it.
Paying attention to God’s word takes work. It takes a focused effort on your behalf, especially because there are so many things calling for your attention. Focusing on God’s word is really worth it. Many of the answers you need can be found in prayer and study of the Bible. If you need wisdom on how to deal with a difficult person, the Bible has your answer. So instead of turning out those old verses that you’ve heard millions of times, try instead asking God to make it fresh and new to you. Ask Him to show you something new that you haven’t seen in the verse. Or ask Him for wisdom on how to apply what you’re reading to your life.
If you pay attention to God’s word, you’ll see good results in your life. So put in the effort that it takes to spend time in the Bible.
