“A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave…” 1 Kings 19:11-13, CSB
This verse in 1 Kings describes Elijah's encounter with God’s still, small voice as a “soft whisper.” Confronted by dramatic storms and fire, Elijah responds to the gentle whisper that calls him. He begins a dialogue with the Lord. There are many ways to hear from God. He speaks through His Word, prayer, people, and soft whispers.
A big booming voice that tells us exactly where to go next is not the standard or the norm for God speaking into our lives. The reality? Like this passage points out, if the Lord is not in it, it doesn’t matter the size of the voice . . . the noise will be empty. God's voice most often comes to us as a soft whisper—a soft whisper we will hear clearly only as we lean in close to Him.
Challenge:
Ask God to open your ears this week to how He is speaking to you. It may be when you’re sitting still and breathing slow. It could be just as you are waking in the morning. Or it could be through a conversation with a repair man when your car breaks down. Write down how He shared His heart with you today or this week.