i cannot hear Him because i'm not paying attention

Music: Late-night background noise from outside my bedroom window

For a time now, I've been struggling to hear God's instructions in my heart, trying to find out what direction He wants me to take. During my devotion two nights ago, I read this in my devotional book:

"If you have been through a time in which you felt God was silent, you remember the disquiet you experienced in your inner being. Sometimes God chooses to withhold specific direction for a while. He wants you to wait on Him with a spirit of obedience and expectancy. However, it's always important to examine your heart because something there may block your ability to hear Him."

Charles Stanley lists down two possible reasons why we can't hear God's voice in our hearts:

1. The influence of others might be getting in the way.

2. A sin in your life may prevent good communication with the Lord.

It got me thinking: am I doing things the wrong way? Am I letting other people influence me and do the opposite of what God wants me to do? Or do I have an un-confessed sin that's stopping me from talking to the Lord as openly as I should be?

Then another reason popped in this thing called my brain: Maybe the main reason why I'm not hearing His voice is because I wasn't really paying attention. Maybe He's been trying to talk to me, but like the idiot that I am, I'm too distracted to distinguish His voice from the other little voices in my head. Maybe that's why I've been screwing up things for the past few, oh I dunno, months?

I've always prided myself with the fact that I'm a good listener. People would come to me and I'd listen to their stories, their problems, their heartaches. For a while I actually thought that's the only thing I'm good at--listening. Then I figured listening to other people's sentiments helps me forget about my own troubles--something my high school best friend pointed out as a bad habit, because she said I need to take care of myself too.

Then I realize that no matter how great a listener I am, I've failed to listen to the most important voice there is--His voice. I listen to so many people, to so many little voices in my head, and yet, I haven't really been listening to Him.

Dear Lord, don't let others influence me in decisions. Continually cleanse me from sin so that the lines of communication will remain open between us. And help me to be a good listener, to be able to distinguish Your voice from the other voices in my head.