Elijah had just had a bad ending to a great event in his life. He had just gotten rid of all of the prophets of Baal, when Jezebel, the evil queen threatened to kill him. For some reason, he panicked, got depressed and ran away to hide in a cave. He came to a bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die.
This sounds like a conversation we have probably all had with God at one point or another. I think we all can relate to the way Elijah felt. He was tired, worn out, frustrated and didn’t think his life had any worth. He wanted to lay down under the bush and never wake up again. For Elijah, just like the rest of us, the journey wasn’t over. God sent an angel and revived him for his journey.
Later it says that God came to speak to him in the following passage from I Kings 19:11-13: " 'Go out and stand before me on the mountain', God 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. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' ".
Notice how God was not in all the things preceding the "GENTLE WHISPER". Many times when He speaks to us, He speaks in this manner. We're so busy looking for the "larger-than-life" stuff that we miss Him. He speaks in the quietness of our hearts. He speaks through people around us. If we'd only take the time to listen! Now, when God asks a question, He is not looking for an answer. He is trying to get us to realize something. He asked Elijah, "What are you doing here?” In other words, "how did you get to this point and place in your life that you are so discouraged and depressed?” "What happened to you"? Is God asking some of us this same question? If you're seeking answers from the Lord, wait for the "GENTLE WHISPER".
We often wait for God to smack us upside down and speak to us in a booming voice from heaven, but that is not how God works. Often in scripture, God comes in a very gentle way. Today, God comes to all of us in a gentle whisper. God is shouting your name to get your attention. He is competing with all the noise filling up our world. How can we expect to hear from God when our lives are so cluttered with things that are not of God? We are busy with television, cell phones, and music; the Internet, friends, and the opinions of others. We are surrounded by too much noise and distraction to truly hear the whisper of God.
Is it easy to hear this GENTLE WHISPER? Absolutely not! We are so used to the distraction and noise that it has become a huge part of our day. However, if we allow our own earthquake, wind and fire to continually distract us, how are we supposed to hear the gentle whisper of God?
A fresh, renewing, quiet word to our soul chases away all of our fears. Whether it's a walk in the park, working in the office, travelling by bus, washing dishes or clothes, reading a book, praying, or however you choose to be alone with the Lord, find a quiet place ("cave"), so that He can speak to you what He's been saying all along. Let silence be our saving grace.
Sometimes when God is silent, He is speaking the loudest.
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