“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,” 2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV)

In the past couple of months, the subject of itching ears has come up a few times at my Bible study. We’ve had some good discussion on this and how we want to listen to someone who agrees with us, even when we may not be in alignment with the word of God. But we recognize the need to only listen to God.

Years ago, I co-taught a women’s Bible study on marriage. We had one woman who came and often questioned the teachings. She loved her husband and loved listening and taking part in our studies. But sometimes she could be a little argumentative. Not in a mean way, but I struggled to understand her.

One day, she opened up and told us about her first marriage. I don’t remember the problems she encountered, but she decided she wanted a divorce and couldn’t stay married any longer. Being a Christian, she went to her pastor for advice. He believed it would be best for her to stay in her marriage and work things out. She did not appreciate his help. In fact, she was very vocal about how he didn’t know what he was saying.

She ended up going to ten more pastors, and each one agreed with the first. Her problems in the marriage were such that she and her husband should be able to work them out with counseling and some effort on their part. 

But she was not to be deterred. She reached out to the twelfth pastor, and he agreed she should get the divorce. She did and remarried and was very happy with her new husband.

After hearing this story, I understood that the topics we discussed in Bible study probably brought up painful memories of how she could have fixed her first marriage and chose not to, rejecting so many who gave her godly advice. I was stunned that she rejected the advice of eleven pastors because the twelfth spoke what she wanted to hear.

I get this. I really do. Sometimes we are set on one course because we just can’t see, or don’t want to see, the alternative that God has for us. Sometimes we are afraid of failure, or we want a roadmap that is clear with landmarks that tell us what is ahead. Stepping out in faith can be unnerving. 

But God asks us to have faith, to take His hand and let him lead us. Perhaps what we don’t realize or think about is that while the path ahead is obscured to us, it is very clear to God. He knows exactly where we are going and what steps we need to take. He will guide us around, or even through, the obstacles in our way if we simply trust him.

Instead of having itching ears that listen for what will suit them, we must have ears that seek the voice of God. We must listen to His guidance even when the voice is quiet or tells us to do that which is challenging or painful. 

Our faithfulness to God and our trust in Him is worth everything. The joy that comes from listening only to Him will carry us through the hard times and shine a light for those around us.

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

when he delights in his way;

though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

for the Lord upholds his hand.” Psalm 37:23 (ESV)