The word “listen” appears 278 times throughout the books of the Bible.
Luke 10:16. 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19).
Seven times in the second and third chapters we read the words “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise one listens to advice. Proverbs 18:13 If one gives an answer before s/he hears, it is her/his folly and shame.
Since all things will ultimately dissipate, we need to listen carefully to God to know his plans for us, and for how we should choose to act and behave. In light of the dissipating mist, everything we say and do is important. Mary Beth, there are many verses in the Bible about listening to God.
God instructs us to listen well: “Be quick to listen and slow to speak” (James 1:19). Many verses in Proverbs show that God wants us to listen to our parents, especially when they teach important life lessons.
Psalm 62:11 King James Version (KJV)
God hath spoken once; Twice have I heard this; That power belongeth unto God.
Psalms 115:5-8 NLT
They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
There's an old saying: “God gave us two ears and only one mouth, so we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Offering a listening ear to someone who needs to unburden their problems can make all the difference to how they feel.
Listening is an active process by which we make sense of assessing, and respond to what we hear. Now the question comes - " Why is listening important? " Because, while listening you are giving attention to the deepest details, emotions, and thoughts of a person.
Listen to be listened to
“If you have a tendency to constantly share your opinions and speak too much, people are less likely to seek your input. However, by listening more and speaking less, your words will carry more weight and people will pay closer attention to what you have to say,” recommends Shihab.
Heavenly Father always listens to our prayers, but sometimes it seems like He isn't answering our prayers because He may not answer us how or when we want Him to. We need to be willing to submit our will to His and have faith that He knows what's best for us.
“Shema” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) is a common word in the Hebrew Bible, usually translated as “listen.” But the meaning of the word goes far beyond what your ears can hear. Talking Points: Shema means to really pay attention. Leah named her son Simon (Shim'on) in order to remind herself that God was truly listening.
Obey God's message! Don't fool yourselves by just listening to it. If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.
Therefore, God hears each and all of our specific petitions through the filter of Jesus' role. In other words, God understands all our different requests through the filter of “this will reconcile them; this will make them holy,” and that is the prayer God hears and the request God always grants.
[16] But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. [17] For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Hebrews 5:14 indicates the God wants us to feed on solid food and establish deep biblical conviction. He wants our senses to be trained to discern good and evil. Tragically many believers today are blind and dull of hearing.
Mark 4:23-25 contains the same urgent warning, but he adds an additional truth that is important to us, a second lesson: “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.
[10] There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. [11] Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
James 1:19 instructs us: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Similarly, “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit” (1 Peter 3:10).
Lamentations 3:37-40 New International Version (NIV)
Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? Why should the living complain when punished for their sins?
Hearing is the process, function, or power of perceiving sound. Listening is paying attention to a message in order to hear it, understand it, and physically or verbally respond to it. Several things must happen in order for us to listen effectively: Sound waves carry spoken words to our ears.
Spiritual listening is embodied listening, in which we become a listening presence to all of life. Being heard (listened to) is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference.
To listen, we need to make a conscious effort not to just hear what people are saying but to take it in, digest it and understand. Not only does listening enhance your ability to understand better and make you a better communicator, it also makes the experience of speaking to you more enjoyable to other people.