I have a confession to make. In the fifth grade, I taped every Salt-n-Pepa song from the radio onto a mix cassette tape. Then I took the tape (pushing play/pause) and wrote down every one of the lyrics to each respective song. Then, I set those songs to memory. Yep. Even to this day, when Shoop or Push-it or Let’s Talk About Sex come on the 90’s radio, I can’t help myself.

Whew! Thanks for listening. Confession is good for the soul.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that as I put those lyrics to memory, I was programming my mind to act accordingly. It’s the craziest thing. I could be in the middle of the most sanctified day. Morning devotions, check. Great prayer time, check. I’m ready to tackle the world for Jesus!

But then, while in the car, flipping through the dial, I hear a song that would make my mother blush, and I sing along. My mind goes places the song is taking me. And before long, I’m 1,000 miles away from where I just was.

Athlete, I know I’m speaking your language. What are you listening to? Is it building you up or taking you down a path you’d rather not go down? In this series we’ve discussed the need for a new heart, mind and eyes. Yet nothing can derail your walk faster than not tuning your ears to hear the Lord.

The prophet Isaiah beautifully says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).

It’s not that God has stopped speaking, He’s always speaking. It’s that we’re not listening. Not having our ears in tune to His voice is like static on the radio.

Remove the static. Tune into your Heavenly Father’s voice.

The Christian life can be boiled down to this: Hear from God. Do what He says. It’s as simple and complicated as that.

But if you’re putting on your Bose noise-cancelling headphones, you’re not listening to God. Therefore you can’t do what He says.

What static from your life needs to be removed so you can hear God more clearly? What’s your plan for removing that static? Who can help you in your journey?

Athlete, don’t just read this and then do nothing. Act.