Consider carefully how you listen.
—Luke 8:18
Some listen to the Word thoughtlessly. Some skeptically. Some critically. Some cynically.
And some don’t listen at all: “You’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening” (Heb. 4:11 MSG).
Hebrews 4 zeros in on those that missed the boat: “The message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.”
Then comes this counsel: “Today, if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts.”
When you hear his voice through his Word, ask two questions: 1) What does this mean to me? 2) What am I going to do about it?
Listen attentively. Believe unconditionally. Act decisively.
If you don’t think you need to improve, you won’t.