Listening But Not Hearing

Listening But Not Hearing

18th JUNE 2026

Christ for Youth International

“Their minds are dull and slow to perceive, their ears are plugged and are hard of hearing, and they have deliberately shut their eyes to the truth. Otherwise they would open their eyes to see, and open their ears to hear, and open their minds to understand. Then they would turn to me and I would instantly heal them.” [Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭15‬ ‭TPT‬‬]

We all listen and pay attention to what we consider valuable and important. Our hearts are often filled with excitement at the anticipation of hearing from those we cherish. Our willingness and eagerness to listen to someone is a reflection of the value we place on them. Beyond listening, however, acting on what has been communicated is an even greater sign of honor.

In John 14:6, Jesus describes Himself as “the way, the truth, and the life.” When we have the right estimation of Jesus, we recognize Him for who He truly is- not only as He reveals Himself in Scripture, but also through our personal experiences with Him. Familiarity, however, has the power to hinder us from hearing and responding to the truth. When we begin to view Jesus as ordinary and take Him for granted, we gradually become dull in hearing His voice. As a result, our perception of Him becomes distorted, and we are unable to receive from Him all that He desires to give us.

Interestingly, familiarity does not develop overnight. It grows subtly and gradually until we begin to treat the Word of the Lord as commonplace. Judas heard the words of Jesus, yet he missed the message. He failed to respond to Jesus’ invitation into a deeper and more intimate relationship beyond that of a master and disciple. Unlike Peter, who recognized Jesus as the Son of God, Judas never truly perceived Him for who He was, despite Jesus revealing this time and again. It is therefore not surprising that Judas considered it wasteful when the woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus as an act of honor and worship. His distorted view of Jesus ultimately led him to betray Him.

If we are going to overcome familiarity, we must treasure the words of Jesus. We must be intentional about making adjustments to our lives whenever the Lord speaks to us- whether through His Word or through the shepherds He has placed in our lives.

When there are no corresponding actions to what we have heard, we run the risk of becoming familiar with the things of God.

Today, I want to encourage you to be deliberate about putting into practice what you hear from the Lord. Pay attention to His voice and take the necessary steps to align your life with His instructions. As we do so, we position ourselves to experience His healing, deliverance, blessings, and grace in every area of our lives.

Prayer: Father, help me listen to Your word so that I can pattern my life around it. Help me not to be familiar with You. In Jesus name. Amen.

Further Reading: Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭13–15‬

Bible In One Year: Psalm 123–126