Guard Your Ear
Choose Who You Listen To
"Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart!” Proverbs 4:20-21 (MSG)
Hey Believer,
I know what it’s like to say all the right words while another voice is quietly shaping what I expect underneath.
I’ve quoted Scripture, made the declaration, and said what I believed—while underneath it all, fear, my own thoughts, somebody else’s opinion, or an old pattern was still influencing me.
Maybe you’ve been there too.
We can be saying the right thing and still be listening to the wrong thing.
So before we talk about what we’re declaring, here’s the question:
Who has your ear right now?
Is it God, your own inner critic, or the crowd?
This week, let’s talk about something that shapes every part of our lives: what we listen to, what we believe, and how we show up.
Are we trying to declare a thing before we’ve actually decided a thing?
To decide literally carries the idea of cutting off. And sometimes growing in faith requires exactly that. We have to cut off the noise, the competing voices, fearful assumptions, and familiar patterns that keep trying to shape our choices.
Romans 10:17 reminds us that faith comes by hearing the message of Christ.
But hearing is only the beginning.
In Jesus’ parable of the soils in Mark 4, everyone heard the Word, but not everyone received it in a way that allowed it to take root and bear fruit.
And in Matthew 7:24–27, both builders heard Jesus’ words. The difference was that one acted on what he heard and built on rock.
That matters.
Proverbs 4:20–23 tells us to pay attention to God’s words, keep them before our eyes, and guard our hearts.
That means before we make another impulsive decision, respond emotionally, rush into an opportunity, or let somebody else’s opinion become our direction, we can slow down long enough to ask:
What have I been listening to?
What am I receiving?
What am I believing?
Maybe this week, we try something different.
Because what has your ear will eventually influence your expectations, your words, your choices, and your actions.
Everybody can have an opinion, but everybody does not get a vote in your obedience.
You do not need every answer before you take the next faithful step. You need to trust the
One you are following.
That is why these final fifty days matter.
THE FINAL FIFTY BY FAITH
Life happened. Plans shifted. But your year isn’t finished—and neither are you. You can still experience the best of what God has for the rest of this year. And here’s the good news: there can be more without you having to do more. From November 12 through December 31, we’re setting aside the final fifty days to tune our ears to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying, because the right response begins with relationship. We’re practicing the fundamentals: Listening. Receiving. Believing. Speaking. Acting. No pressure. No performance. No perfection—just making room for God’s Word, His voice, and our faithful response. One Truth. One Step. One Shift.
Believer, before your next step, decide who gets your next yes.
Let’s Pray: Father, thank You for speaking through Your Word and for giving me Your Holy Spirit to lead me into truth. Help me recognize the voices that have been shaping my thoughts, expectations, and decisions. Give me wisdom to turn down the noise and give Your Word my attention. Teach me to listen, receive, believe, speak, and act on what You have said. Help me trust You enough to obey even when I do not have every answer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Come grow with us during your last fifty days by faith. Search for Get Ready to Shift Today in your app store and join us.
If someone came to mind while you were reading, share this with them and encourage their heart. And in the comments, let’s name one thing we’re giving God thanks for today.
Until next time...
Let this one linger,
— Nina
Hey Believer,
I know what it’s like to say all the right words while another voice is quietly shaping what I expect underneath.
I’ve quoted Scripture, made the declaration, and said what I believed—while underneath it all, fear, my own thoughts, somebody else’s opinion, or an old pattern was still influencing me.
Maybe you’ve been there too.
We can be saying the right thing and still be listening to the wrong thing.
So before we talk about what we’re declaring, here’s the question:
Who has your ear right now?
Is it God, your own inner critic, or the crowd?
This week, let’s talk about something that shapes every part of our lives: what we listen to, what we believe, and how we show up.
Are we trying to declare a thing before we’ve actually decided a thing?
To decide literally carries the idea of cutting off. And sometimes growing in faith requires exactly that. We have to cut off the noise, the competing voices, fearful assumptions, and familiar patterns that keep trying to shape our choices.
Romans 10:17 reminds us that faith comes by hearing the message of Christ.
But hearing is only the beginning.
In Jesus’ parable of the soils in Mark 4, everyone heard the Word, but not everyone received it in a way that allowed it to take root and bear fruit.
And in Matthew 7:24–27, both builders heard Jesus’ words. The difference was that one acted on what he heard and built on rock.
That matters.
Proverbs 4:20–23 tells us to pay attention to God’s words, keep them before our eyes, and guard our hearts.
That means before we make another impulsive decision, respond emotionally, rush into an opportunity, or let somebody else’s opinion become our direction, we can slow down long enough to ask:
What have I been listening to?
What am I receiving?
What am I believing?
Maybe this week, we try something different.
Because what has your ear will eventually influence your expectations, your words, your choices, and your actions.
Everybody can have an opinion, but everybody does not get a vote in your obedience.
You do not need every answer before you take the next faithful step. You need to trust the
One you are following.
That is why these final fifty days matter.
THE FINAL FIFTY BY FAITH
Life happened. Plans shifted. But your year isn’t finished—and neither are you. You can still experience the best of what God has for the rest of this year. And here’s the good news: there can be more without you having to do more. From November 12 through December 31, we’re setting aside the final fifty days to tune our ears to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying, because the right response begins with relationship. We’re practicing the fundamentals: Listening. Receiving. Believing. Speaking. Acting. No pressure. No performance. No perfection—just making room for God’s Word, His voice, and our faithful response. One Truth. One Step. One Shift.
Believer, before your next step, decide who gets your next yes.
Let’s Pray: Father, thank You for speaking through Your Word and for giving me Your Holy Spirit to lead me into truth. Help me recognize the voices that have been shaping my thoughts, expectations, and decisions. Give me wisdom to turn down the noise and give Your Word my attention. Teach me to listen, receive, believe, speak, and act on what You have said. Help me trust You enough to obey even when I do not have every answer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Come grow with us during your last fifty days by faith. Search for Get Ready to Shift Today in your app store and join us.
If someone came to mind while you were reading, share this with them and encourage their heart. And in the comments, let’s name one thing we’re giving God thanks for today.
Until next time...
Let this one linger,
— Nina
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