We Listen but We Don't Do
Why does it feel easier to listen to the Word than to do what it says? A reflection on James 1:19-27.
Oct 18, 2026 · 1 min read
James 1:19–27
We listen, but we don't do. This one is from the book of James, chapter 1, verses 19 to 27.
So the question is: why does it feel easier to listen to the Word than to do what it says?
Sometimes we read the Bible just to say, "I have read my Bible today." We go to church, we worship, we listen, and as soon as we step out, we forget. And I get it. This life is designed to distract us, to give us anxiety, to stress us, to make us sick, and to repeat the loop until time goes away.
James points out here that merely listening to the Word and not doing what it says is deceiving ourselves. It's as if we look in the mirror, go away, and immediately forget what we look like.
He warns us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
Life gets in the way, but James tells us to look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom. And remember, it pleases God when we apply His commandments and His desires in our lives, and blessings always follow.
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