One of my sons was a master at tuning out what he didn't want to hear. In church, his mind was a million miles away. He could tell you the number of panels in the ceiling and how many seats were in the choir loft. Many times I heard my wife say to him in the midst of a scolding, "Are you listening to me?"

We too are often guilty of tuning out what we don't want to hear, even messages from God. In his book Christian Reflections, C. S. Lewis says that a person who is determined to ignore God's voice will follow this advice: "Avoid silence, avoid solitude, avoid any train of thought that leads off the beaten track. Concentrate on money, sex, status, health, and (above all) your own grievances. Keep the radio on. Live in a crowd."

When we do something wrong, that's one time when we especially need to listen to God's voice. But often, in our stubbornness, we make sure we don't. The prophet Jeremiah spoke to those kinds of individuals, saying, "O foolish people, . . . who have ears and hear not . . . . This people has a defiant and rebellious heart" (Jeremiah 5:21,23).

Instead of closing your ears to God, read the Bible and pray to Him regularly. Take time to think about God and His many blessings. That's how to stay tuned in!
  — David C. Egner