“Communication is not about SPEAKING what you think. It’s about ENSURING others hear what you mean.” — Justin Mayo

As someone who regularly speaks, I am not quite sure I agree with Mr. Mayo.  The communication process has many components that work together to create a message.  As a pastor, I am often surprised by what people tell me they heard during a sermon.  It is not unusual that what they heard was not something I had planned or even thought about.  It’s like a piece of art.  Interpretation of the message tends to be very personal.  We hear messages through our experiences and our preconceived notions.

I wonder how often I miss God’s message because I haven’t been open enough to truly hear?  I wonder if my times of study and prayer are more about validating my own desires instead of hearing God’s heart?

My challenge today is to open my heart enough to truly hear the message God is speaking to me today.  Rather than simply hearing what I want to hear, I want to hear what God wants me to hear.  Far too often that means I must understand my own hang-ups and default way of thinking in order to create a space for God’s message to penetrate and change me.

Jesus said if we want to gain his life we must lose our own.  I see how that relates to my study and prayer just as much as my eternal salvation.