Word for the year 2026: Listen

Have you ever stopped to listen? Maybe it's to the sound of a gentle breeze, or a child telling you a secret. Maybe it's to a low sound or a dialogue that's spoken softly. Hopefully it's not to eavesdrop on someone else's private conversation, just sayin'. Would you agree that we live in an age dominated by alerts and notifications? Of ideas and opinions? Do we let a relentless news cycle become an obstacle to silence? Have we let actually stopping to listen become a scarce commodity? I think we have. Whether it is accidentally or intentionally, we have trained ourselves to react instantly-scroll, comment, post. It's almost instinctive. And whichever side or any idea, aisle, or perspective you are on or have, it is so easy to tap our thumbs, hit send, seeming without a care for the consequences.

 

And while some of this is true and happening all around us, many people of faith are rediscovering an older, counter-cultural way of living. This is more than a habit, it's a discipline. It's listening to God. Listening, in the biblical sense, is not passively sitting, waiting, hoping for some audible voice from God. Rather, it is an active participation with God. It is being attentive and intentional. And while being uncomfortable is something we all try hard to avoid, it is often necessary to actually hear what God might be saying.

 

The truth is that faith is not merely believing. Faith is actively living out our Christian life, listening and responding to God. In Deuteronomy 6, God says, "Hear, O Israel". The Great Shema was a call that shaped Jewish life for centuries. Jesus echoes the same priority in the Gospels and in Revelation as He says, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." The assumption is clear-God is always speaking, but not everyone is listening.

 

Our culture, however, actively conspires against this practice of listening. Noise is no longer limited to sound. That's right. We call just about everything noise. And this noise can and often does include mental clutter, constant connectivity, social compliance, identity, comparison, and the pressure to create the perfect image of ourselves. Just look at social media or tv. It's obvious we love beauty, intelligence, power, fame, money, etc. But these things are not eternal. These temporary pursuits deny us the time and energy to chase after the greater, eternal values. Even prayer can become one-sided, a list of requests rather than an opportunity to sit at Jesus' feet, asking Him speak and to reveal Himself. Let me ask you if you would fall into this next category? Many believers are fluent in talking to God, but less practiced in waiting long enough to hear from Him. Hmm. This convicts me.

 

Yet, as we look throughout the Scriptures, we consistently see that God guides His people as they tuned everything else out to listen to Him. Moses, Samuel, Elijah, and countless others encounter God in different ways, yet all of them had to stop and listen. In each case, God's direction follows attentiveness. God's purpose is revealed in our obedient listening.

 

As we listen to God, we become able to discern God's voice and His will for our life. In a world where information is available instantly, and content is free, they can't actually make the decisions we need to make. Sure, those things help and give us clarity, but decisions about vocation, relationships, ethics, and priorities are rarely resolved by information alone. Wisdom is different than knowledge and wisdom requires more than data. Wisdom is a result of aligning our wants with God's character and purposes. When believers slow down long enough to listen through Scripture, prayer, and reflection, we gain insight that cuts through anxiety, worry, fatigue, distraction, and impulse. This is discernment. And it's something we all need. And it's a way we show the world the way of Jesus.

 

Listening to God also confronts us with truths we might prefer to avoid. Think about the prophets. They were not popular figures. But they listened well, and they obeyed the voice of the Lord, even though their message would most often not be received well. They heard God's concern for justice, mercy, and faithfulness, and most often spoke it to people who had become comfortable. As we listen to God today, we must allow Him to challenge our assumptions, expose blind spots, and redirect our attentions and affections back to Him.

 

As much as I would love to write that if you pray long enough or hard enough, God will speak through dramatic voices, supernatural means, or physical manifestations. For most Christians though, His primary means of speech is Scripture. And when we read His love letter to us slowly and with humility, the Holy Spirit applies His Word to our hearts and lives.

 

And don't forget, when we read and apply Scripture within Biblical community, we can learn from others of like faith and allow the Spirit to speak through them as well.

 

Listening requires margin. It requires time without devices and prayer without an agenda. It means we must read without rushing, and to courageously obey what God says to us. But we must not allow ourselves to live on spiritual autopilot, because the cost is immense.

 

Like any meaningful relationship, our relationship with God deepens when we listen to Him and learn from Him. What would it be like if we heed the words of James, and we speak less and listen more? For followers of Jesus, the discipline of listening may be one of the most important acts of obedience we can learn in this life.

 

As we finish, I have good news. Churches that listen to God together are better equipped to serve and love our community. When we prioritize spiritual attentiveness, we model patience and humility for the emerging generations. In a loud world, a listening church becomes a credible witness. So, as you are listening, go shine the light of Jesus. You'll be glad you did.