November 24, 2025 “Listening With Our Hearts!”

I hope that wherever you are, you know Recovery is with you—right where you are.

When we hear the word obedience, we might think it means simply doing what we’re told. But true obedience is much deeper. It means listening with our whole heart.

Have you ever gone to a session for treatment, attended church, or a social event, and just gone through the motions? Or has your heart been fully present? Obedience is a doorway to blessing. When we bring listening and obedience together, they open us to Recovery.

In Recovery, we have not truly heard until we respond. Our ability to hear the voice of Recovery grows when we act on what we are already being asked to do. Sometimes we pray or ask for help and get no answer. Often, Recovery waits for us to respond to the last thing we were asked to do.

We can stay stuck when we ignore the guidance already given. First, we may need to forgive someone, help someone, change our attitude, or stop a harmful pattern. These steps can feel hard, but they make room for healing in the present moment.

Obedience clears our inner world. It quiets the noise created by fear and pride. A willing heart becomes a hearing heart.

When we pray and hear nothing, it may be that we are not yet listening deeply enough. Recovery pauses until our hearts are ready to walk in the light being offered.

During my major depressive episode, I went to church every day, begging for the suffering to end. For months, nothing changed, and I feared healing would never come. Friends in Recovery reminded me to trust and let go, because healing comes in God’s time, not ours. Eventually, a psychologist entered my life, explained that I was living with severe trauma, and showed me a path forward.

I must admit, I resisted at first. The steps ahead felt painful, and I didn’t want more suffering. But I chose to be obedient and listen to the doctor. Looking back, I believe God was speaking to me through the doctor. 

Obedience is not perfection. It is openness. It is trusting, acting, and “listening with our feet.” It is doing what we know, deep down, we are called to do.