Hebrews 5:11 (AMP)
“11 Concerning this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull and sluggish in [your spiritual] hearing and disinclined to listen.”
A story about Franklin Roosevelt highlights a common issue. He once grumbled that people didn’t really listen during the White House receiving lines. To test this, he told each person in line, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” Most guests responded with typical pleasantries, completely missing the shocking statement. Only at the end of the line did the Bolivian ambassador respond genuinely, albeit humorously: “I’m sure she had it coming.”
The Bible states that faith comes by hearing, specifically by hearing the word of God. So, the question is: How well do we listen? Are we attentive, or are we like those guests who didn’t really hear Roosevelt? We attend services, Bible studies, and have numerous resources available, yet why hasn’t our spiritual life transformed significantly?
The truth is, many of us suffer from spiritual sluggishness, making it difficult to understand God’s teachings. This stagnation hinders growth. As Paul writes:
Hebrews 5:12 (AMP)
“12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers [because of the time you have had to learn these truths], you actually need someone to teach you again the elementary principles of God’s word [from the beginning], and you have come to be continually in need of milk, not solid food.”
Being spiritually unresponsive is a mark of immaturity. Despite being present physically, our minds are elsewhere, causing a lack of growth. We should be mature enough to teach others, but instead, we still need basic instruction. This results in an inability to discern right from wrong, evident in the fundamental questions some believers still ask.
God is communicating. Are you truly listening, or have you become spiritually unresponsive? As Jesus said, “He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit is saying.”
Reflections.
How do you react when you hear the word of God?
In what ways does being spiritually unresponsive affect a person’s life?
Has this morning devotion made a tangible difference in your life, or has it become a meaningless routine?
