The Still Small Voice

Then the word of God came to him: "So Elijah, what are you doing here?"

"I've been working my heart out for the God-of-the-Angel-Armies," said Elijah. "The people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed the places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me."

Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."

A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.

When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there.

1 Kings 19

This week I have been praying for a friend. I have been praying God would reveal himself to her. I have been searching the scriptures, searching online devotionals, trying to find something I could share with her about God. I want her to know that God doesn't always reveal himself in big, miraculous ways, sometimes its in small everyday things that we can easily miss if we don't pay attention. I have seen this in my own life before. I have seen God speak to me through a Bible verse, something a friend said, through something I've learned from my child, even from a line in a movie. So here I am searching for something for a friend thinking about Elijah and the still small voice. As I start to read the passage again, I realize I have been just like Elijah lately.

So this morning I sat to have some prayer time with God and read this passage and I hear him say, "why are you in this place? why are you depressed about where I've sent you and what you're doing?" And just like Elijah I go on and on about all the things that have gone wrong since we've been here, all the things I've tried to accomplish in our work here that has fallen apart, all the people who have let us down, complain, complain...like Elijah I'm looking for God in crazy, big things to happen, because I've got so much going on around me, I'm expecting him to break through the noise and show himself in some glamorous way. I'm finding myself jealous of those who seem to be doing great things and because I'm watching all around me instead of watching God himself, I'm missing what he's trying to tell me here, now. What God wants is for me to quiet my spirit and listen. If I'm too busy complaining, I can't hear his voice telling me what to do next. If he has to shout through the noise to get to me, where's the personal relationship? If I have close, personal relationship with him, then I am close enough to hear the whisper and see that God is speaking to me in the still small voice.

And so, my dear friend, in all my years of learning about God, I still lose track sometimes. I still have to remind myself that I need to stop dwelling on all things going on around me and dwell on God. I need to stop praying by talking and start praying by quieting my spirit and listening and giving him time to talk instead. When we quiet our spirits long enough, we will hear God speak to us. When he gets our attention, he can tell us where to go and what to do next. God brought Elijah out of the cave and into a new life. He can do the same for me and you today. Trust him.