What Do You Want To Listen To?

During my time in medical school (it feels so great to say this by the way), I had music as my constant reading companion. Some people wonder how possible it is to read with music in your ears, but I find that it helps me reduce the many distractions in my mind to just one major source of distraction I can enjoy and easily “handle.”

The terminal weeks of medical school were a phase of my life when I was assailed by many doubts; doubts as to whether I was going to pass my finals (considering I had shipped in somewhat lukewarm performances in my previous exams); whether I was eventually going to be happy with the specialty I was considering, or whether I was even going to be a good doctor, amongst other things.

While I was preparing for my final exams, I launched my Spotify app to get my “groove” on as usual. And then for some reason, my eye caught what was written in the search bar: “What Do You Want to listen to?”

It’s not like I hadn’t seen it before. But, for some reason I could not explain, that question morphed from a harmless Spotify query to an existential question. I think it was God, in His ever subtle way, trying to refocus my heart on faith and trust in Him.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

(Romans 10:17, KJV)

The faith that helps us become saved is no different from the faith required in our journey with God. And the above scripture makes us understand that that faith which overcomes the world, is built and enlarged in us when we hear [and listen actively] to God’s Words (the message of Jesus Christ).

If you’re struggling with doubts and fears like I was, that might be an indicator that you need to listen again to what God says about you. Everything you regard as real and tangible – planet Earth inclusive – will pass away before God’s Word does.

So what will you listen to? The sure Word of God, or your feelings and emotions that are as fickle as the weather? We make this choice every day, although it is mostly a subconscious one.

If you find yourself floundering more and more in fear and doubt, now may be a good time to take that decision making from the realm of the subconscious and consciously choose to listen to what God has said about you.