The Right Response to God's Word

Imagine sitting in a grand concert hall, listening to a world-class musician perform a breathtaking piece. The music moves you deeply, stirring your emotions, and for a moment, you are completely captivated. But then the music stops, and you walk away, unchanged. You never pick up an instrument, never attempt to learn the piece, and never let the experience shape you beyond that moment.

This is what happens when we hear God’s Word but fail to respond to it.

Ezekiel 33:30-33 paints a sobering picture of this kind of response. God tells the prophet Ezekiel that the people of Israel love to listen to him, but they treat his words like entertainment. They gather to hear his messages, speaking of them as though they are beautiful and inspiring, but they never put them into practice:

"So they come to you as people do, and sit before you as My people, and hear your words, but they do not do them; for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouths, and their hearts go after their own advantage. And behold, you are to them like a love song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but do not practice them. So when it comes—as it certainly will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:31-33, NASB)

These people enjoyed hearing the truth, but they never let it transform their lives. They treated God’s Word like a performance—something to admire, but not something to live by.

James 1:22-25 gives us a powerful contrast:

"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22-25, NASB)

James compares God’s Word to a mirror. A mirror reveals reality—it shows us what we truly look like. But a mirror is only useful if we respond to what we see. If you look in a mirror and notice your hair is a mess or your face is dirty, but you walk away without doing anything about it, the mirror has done you no good.

Likewise, if we hear God’s truth but do nothing with it, we deceive ourselves. We might think we’re being spiritual simply because we read the Bible or listen to a sermon, but if we don’t allow God’s Word to change us, we are just hearers, not doers.

How Do We Become Doers of the Word?

It is not enough to have good intentions. It’s not enough to agree that God’s Word is true or to feel inspired when we hear it. We must develop consistent habits that ensure we respond to God’s truth in real and practical ways.

Here are a few ways to establish this pattern in our lives:

1. Approach God’s Word with Intentionality

James tells us that the one who is blessed is the one who looks intently at God’s law. This is not a casual glance but a deep, searching look. When we read Scripture or hear a sermon, we should not rush through it or treat it as background noise. Instead, we must slow down, meditate on what we’re reading, and ask how it applies to our lives.

One way to do this is through journaling. Writing down key verses, insights, and specific applications helps us absorb and act on what we learn.  The journal entries need to be revisited regularly by us and with others who can hold us accountable for what we heard and how we have responded to it.

2. Make Obedience a Daily Practice

The key difference between the hearer and the doer is that the doer continues in the Word. This means obedience is not occasional but a way of life.

Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” True love for God is revealed in our obedience. When we recognize an area where our life does not align with Scripture, we must take intentional steps to change.

For example, if the Bible convicts us about how we use our words, we might establish a habit of pausing before speaking, praying for wisdom, and intentionally using words to encourage rather than to criticize.  It also means that establishing patterns for hearing from God must be established into consistent habits.

3. Seek Accountability

One of the best ways to ensure we apply God’s Word is to invite others into the process. Find a trusted friend, mentor, or small group who will challenge and encourage you to live out what you are learning. When we know that someone will ask us how we are responding to God’s Word, we are far more likely to take action.

4. Pray for the Strength to Obey

We cannot do this on our own. It is God who gives us the power to live according to His Word. Philippians 2:13 reminds us, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.”

If we struggle to apply what we learn, we should ask God for His help. He is faithful to provide the strength and wisdom we need to walk in obedience.  Being empowered by the Holy Spirit and walking in His filling is the only way to do so.

A Call to Action

Hearing God’s Word is not the end goal—it is only the beginning. The real question is: How will we respond? Will we be like the people in Ezekiel’s time, who enjoyed hearing but never changed? Or will we be like the wise person James describes, who looks intently into the Word and then acts upon it?

Over the next several blog entries, we will explore specific patterns, tools, and habits we can use to apply this principle in different areas of life. From our relationships to our daily habits, we will look at how to establish patterns of hearing and responding to God’s truth in a way that leads to real transformation.

May we be not just hearers, but doers of the Word!