Listening to Dhamma

The method used in teaching Dhamma is for the listener to meditate  and to empty the mind so that the teacher's words can enter fully. The teaching can then have an immediate impact on the listener, taking their mind deeper. If we recognise this as the method then when this direct effect is not happening we will be wondering why. We can be comparing our experience with that of the speaker in order to understand their message in a more indirect, analytical way. 
We can be thinking, for example,
"This teacher is emphasising concentration. This is difficult for me right now. I will try to remember his advice when I go out into the country at the weekend."