Life gets pretty loud. Alarm clocks ring...kids cry... bosses yell... and our past screams at us from thoughts we wish we could forget. Things get hectic... and if we’re not careful, we’ll let distraction win. We are often told how much God wants to say to us... so why is it so hard to hear His voice in the midst of life?
Our question isn’t a new one. Let’s take a look at the life of Elijah...
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:11-12
Elijah stood patiently and waited for God to speak. And as the winds whipped through his hair... he became convinced that a powerful God would chat with him in a rowdy way. He was wrong. Then the earthquake came... surely God would communicate as the ground moved. Wrong again. After that... fire. Yes! Elijah knew the story of Moses’ burning bush... this must be a repeat performance! God was going to tell him everything he needed to know when the heat was on! Nothing. Zip. God wasn’t talking through the noise at all.
Instead, He waited. And then God whispered. Gently. Elijah didn’t expect “gently”. He didn’t know that God wants to communicate with us when we’re still...
How much of your day is spent just being still? Peaceful? Quiet? If you’re like many..not much...and unchecked distraction wins out. You have to make the intentional decision to get alone with God. He won’t shout above the noise of your day... He’ll simply wait until you can hear Him. He doesn’t signal us in shouts or yells or pointed fingers or accusations. God whispers. He nudges. He speaks to us in the quiet spaces of our heart... not with judgment but in love. We just have to quiet our spirit enough to hear Him.
Retreat to where the sound isn’t... open up the Word... and listen for the gentlest voice you can hear. God has something to tell you.
