Keep Your Ears Open and Your Mouth Shut...

"As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few." Eccl 5:1-2

I have been thinking about this a lot the past couple of days. How often do I just run my mouth to God and then get frustrated when things don't turn out the way I wanted? Then I think, "Are you even listening God? Hello?? Why can't you just answer this one thing the way I want you to?" I am so guilty of making rash promises and being hasty. My question should be, "Why do I not give God a chance to speak?" I wonder why I don't always hear him clearly. I wonder why I let my emotions cloud my discernment of his voice. But am I really even giving him a chance to speak?
The more I think about this, the more I realize that belief is not really my problem. I believe God can speak to me. I believe that he will speak to me. Actually, I know he will. But, sometimes that is exactly why I don't listen. I think my issue is more about my insecurity. I still so often doubt that his will toward me is good and that he loves me as much as he does. I fear that I will not want to hear what he has to say. The truth is, I don't take criticism well. I don't take discipline well. I never have. And for some reason, I fear that God is only going to criticize me. Why? Why do I doubt his goodness when all he has been is good? Why do I doubt his character? I still fear that he may not be trustworthy even though I know that he is. I fear that he will not approve, even though I know that his takes delight in me. I know these things, and I know that they are thuth, but I still doubt. And I still fear. He has done nothing but prove himself trustworthy.
Everytime I do sit and listen, he always speaks to me. And it is always wonderful. Last night, he gave me a new revelation. (He tends to do that a lot!) I was sitting with my eyes closed, blocking out the visual distractions. I was meditating on one verse - Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God." I have heard and read this verse a million times. But, I asked God for a new revelation. I sat and I waited. I felt his presence. The Holy Spirit brought to my mind a person/situation that I have been coming to him about a lot lately. Then I heard this verse in a new way... "Be STILL (do nothing, just watch). And you will KNOW that I am God." It made me think of my last blog post. It was about leading or being led. God was telling me not to lead. He was telling me to be still; let him do the work. He said that when I am still and watch HIM do it, then I will Know that HE is God. It will not be me. It will not be in my power. I will know and everyone who witnesses will know that he is God. No matter what the outcome is, I will still know.
We have to stop talking soooo much. We have to listen. When we listen, we will hear him. And when we hear him, our hearts change. The Holy Spirit guides us to pray for what is on His heart rather than our own. Our hearts becomes more and more like his until our desires are the same. His will, his glory, his power, his strength, his presence. This is what we will desire. Oh Lord, let my heart be like your's. Change me. I will be still and watch. You are always so faithful without fail. Show your glory.