By our own choice, we too often live in spiritual poverty, ignoring God’s wonderful offer of help:

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”                       First Corinthians 10:13

Although He graciously offers us His own help at our crossroads, we often clap our hands over our ears and go our own way, resulting in damage to us, to those around us, and to His kingdom purposes.  We are very much like those in the days of the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel:

“They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.”           Jeremiah 32:33

“Behold, their ears are closed
And they cannot listen.
Behold, the word of the Lord has become a reproach to them;
They have no delight in it.”                                                                                   Jeremiah 6:10

“They come to you as people come, 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 mouth, and their heart goes after their gain.”                                                                       Ezekiel 33:11

The pain of repeated failures to heed the loving, wise prompting of the Holy Spirit makes us long for unplugged ears that hear and hearts that are eager to heed and live according to His design. To this end He is eager to take us.  We can prepare our hearts and ears to be responsive to His promptings by seasoning them with prayer, “Lord, help me to do, in Your supernatural strength, what I cannot do on my own!”

“The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples,
That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.”                                                     Isaiah 50:4

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”                       John 6:27

Lord, I am Your sheep.  Make me to hear Your voice and follow You!

And practice makes perfect.

“But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”                                                                                             Hebrews 5:14