The Upper Room Devotional 15 July 2026, Wednesday Message
Listening Deliberately
Terrell Graves (Alabama, USA)
Today’s Reading
John 14:25-27
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. – John 14:26 (NIV)
I recently got hearing aids, but I continued to miss a lot of my morning conversations over coffee with my wife. The hearing aids were working fine. The issues were that my wife is soft-spoken and, more important, that I was not focused on listening. There were too many distractions as I checked news headlines and read emails on my phone. I was missing out on the part of my day that I most cherish, not because I couldn’t hear but because I was not paying attention.
Similarly, the presence of and communion with the Holy Spirit is a gift that we should treasure. As today’s verse states, the Holy Spirit will keep us mindful of the teachings of Christ and is the source of peace that surpasses all understanding. However, when I am not focused on listening, I miss much. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is also soft-spoken. To learn from the Holy Spirit and discern our true path, we must be disciplined in eliminating distractions so that we can really listen.
Thought for the Day
Quiet prayer and intentional listening help me discern God’s will.
Prayer Focus
Those with hearing loss
Today’s Prayer
Dear God, help us listen so that we can sense the presence of the Holy Spirit and receive the peace that we long for and that only you can provide. Amen.
The Upper Room Devotional 15 July 2026 is a daily devotional  magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. Read More
