Words of wisdom from one of the wisest men to ever live, King Solomon: “Here’s what I want: Give me a God-Listening Heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9 MSG). What if more of us in this sinful world intentionally chose to begin our days asking for a God-Listening Heart? What if, in addition to being pronounced as an Exemplar of Selflessness, we desired that people would choose to describe us as having a God-Listening Heart? What if instead of trying to Steal the Pen and write my own life story, I tune my heart to the Quiet Whispers of the Author of all stories and allow His wisdom to guide the next chapter of my life?

One of the fascinating aspects of Scripture, at least for me, is how often in my daily time in the Word, I’ll be reading over a familiar passage, and a new insight or message comes to light, especially when reading in different translations. Although my childhood typically included memorization from the King James Version, or reading from the Children’s Living Bible; as an adult, I’ve found the New Living Translation to be my preferred reading style. And Yet, this version of 1 Kings 3:9 and the use of the language understanding heart did not resonate as deeply as a God-Listening Heart from The Message. This simple shift in word choice, at least on this particular day, spoke of a more profound desire than just intellectual wisdom. Solomon was longing to know God’s heart.

How often do I find myself telling God what I desire rather than longing for a God-Listening Heart as Solomon did? Why is this so difficult? I know beyond a shadow of doubt that His ways are better than mine, and yet, I still choose to try to figure things out on my own! D. Marie Hamilton shares her similar struggle, “I have often times thought ‘Why?’ I know from my experiences that I have made decisions based on what I thought was good or acceptable without even asking for God’s guidance. Or rather, I would hear the Spirit speaking to me, and I just continue to go about my merry way. When we rely on our own abilities and resources, we are cheating ourselves. Yeah, the outcome of our endeavors might turn out the way that we hope, but just imagine how things would have turned out if we asked the Father for guidance in the first place.”

I’d like to think that every morning I engage in the practice of surrendering my entire day to Him—all my thoughts, words, and actions; but how often do I truly ask Him for a God-Listening Heart? How would I answer if God offered this same question to me? Caitlin Walker shares her perspective on this passage, “Right before Solomon made this request, God appeared to him in a dream and asked him (Solomon) what He (God) could give him. I can’t even imagine being asked that question, and I truly don’t know what I myself would ask for if God woke me up and asked me the same question. I like to think though that I would have the same desire as Solomon, to receive a God-listening heart so that I could lead others well. What a humble and selfless request. He could have asked for anything in the world, yet he chose wisdom so that he could better serve others. In this day and age we need wisdom and discernment more than ever. Solomon recognized this need for God…We are very limited in what we can accomplish on our own. But when we become consumed and filled with God’s spirit, anything is possible.”

Perhaps, the hesitation to ask for a God-Listening Heart is related to the fact that He might ask me to do something I don’t really want to do! If anything is possible, His likely anything might ask this Enneagram 5 to feel inadequate and unprepared. His anything is likely to be an Absolutely Not! for me; but if I submit to His proven Everyday Faithfulness, if I allow Him to provide me with a God-Listening Heart, I will save myself so much heartache and disappointment. Why am I so stubborn? That’s only an asset on certain occasions!

Have you experienced a time when a God-Listening Heart provided you the wisdom and discernment you needed in a particular situation? Please consider sharing in the comments below, as I know we all struggle with this humble, yet vital, act of surrender.

P.S. The very next morning after composing this post, the insight section of my devotional contained 1 Kings 3:9.

References:

Hamilton, D.M. (2007, February 2). “A God-Listening Heart.” [Sermon message]. Retrieved from https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/print?sermonId=102006

Jackson, A. (2022, May 29). Insight on Pause to Pray. Our Daily Bread. Retrieved from https://odb.org/US/2022/05/29/pressing-pause-to-pray

Walker, C. (2022, March 13). God-Listening Heart. [Blog post]. More to Life: Bible Studies for Women. Retrieved from https://www.moretolifetoday.net/god-listening-heart/