SELECTIVE HEARING – The Daily Recharge

I’m a parent. If you know anything about parenting, then you also know how entertaining children can be. At times, their volume can be so overwhelming that you have to tune it out to function. Lol!

The process of tuning out some sounds, while locking into others, is called selective hearing. It’s an intentional decision to narrow your focus on what really matters.

In the last episode of the SHIFT podcast, I shared that 2024 is the year to hear God clearly. That also means:

This is your year to hear selectively.

That’s right. It’s time to mute some voices so you can hear His.

Interestingly, Lord Jesus brought up hearing certain voices, and silencing others, in the passage included below:

Jesus said, “I am telling you the truth: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice” (John 10:1 – 5, GNT).

In this parable, sheep represent people who are in relationship with God. With that in mind, what did He really mean when He said, “… the sheep follow him (the shepherd), because they know his voice. They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice (John 10:4 – 5, GNT)? He meant that people in relationship with God have selective hearing. Now, let’s extract the pattern.

Relationship: Entering relationship with God, by confessing faith in Lord Jesus, is the equivalent of the sheep responding to the voice of the shepherd and being led out. Relationship doesn’t stop at the release. Just like the sheep Lord Jesus mentioned, it keeps developing as people listen and follow His lead.

Restrictions: Cultivating your relationship with God changes your taste. In other words, other voices lose their appeal. When you recognize the advantages of listening to God, like the sheep in the parable, you’ll run away from voices that don’t sound like His.

There you have it. Selective hearing occurs when your relationship with God creates restrictions on your listening. You only listen to and follow Him.

Now, here are some questions to help you get practical with the pattern:

Relationship: Have you entered relationship with God? Is Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord? If not, that’s the first step, and Romans 10:17 is the path forward. If you are already in relationship with God, are you cultivating it? Are you listening to His guidance? If not, submitting is the way, and Proverbs 3:5 – 6 is the roadmap.

Restrictions: What voice(s) do you need to silence? Why have they been so appealing? How is God’s voice superior? Find and meditate on Scriptures that reinforce God’s supremacy over the alternative voices.

Now, you have some hearing to modify. Ready? Set? Grow!

Make your way to the abundant life selective hearing can provide. If you need more assistance sorting through the competing voices, I’m here to help. Reach out to me at info@induranceministries.com, and let’s develop a plan to shift you from subpar to selective hearing.