1Sa 16:3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you."
1Sa 16:4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, "Do you come peaceably?"
1Sa 16:5 And he said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
1Sa 16:6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."
1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
1Sa 16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."
1Sa 16:9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."
1Sa 16:10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these."
1Sa 16:11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here."
1Sa 16:12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for this is he."
How does this story teach us the importance of listening carefully to God's voice. --- It is important that we carefully listen to God's voice and obey him precisely as He has said.
What is our instinctive way of discerning? --- We tend to try to fit God's word into our way of thinking, our experiences and culture.
How is God teaching us to discern? --- God is teaching us to discern according to his word alone. We need to fit our experiences and culture into the Word, not the Word into our experiences and culture.
How do we learn to listen to the Spirit? --- Through careful listening and fervent prayer.