The possibilities and potential of what was set before me invited my excitement, but did I really need something else to give my attention to, something else to fill my hours and my thoughts??? I wasn’t sure. Was it something God had for me and for others, or was I simply wanting to respond to unvoiced “expectations”? I began to ask the questions I needed answers to and laid it out before God, and waited, still, with some apprehension. A few mornings later, while bringing other needs before God, I heard the whispers. In the quiet of the whispers, my direction emerged, and I knew I had heard my God.
Fearful, depressed, and physically depleted, Elijah, a man willing to confront the emptiness of pagan gods and affirm the power and sovereign deity of the true God, found himself overwhelmed with a defeated spirit, his focus turned inward, and ready to quit. God Himself took the initiative and approached Elijah. Storm, earthquake, and fire, and then the sound of a gentle whisper. And in the voice of the whisper, Elijah heard His God.
Rarely do I hear God shout, or even speak loudly and demonstratively, but I do hear His whispers. The shouts and loud, demonstrative talking of other voices can clamor and compete for my attention, but it is the whispers of God I long for. His whispers quiet my fears, lift my depression, and energize my spirit. His whispers affirm His presence and assure me I am not alone. They lead, they teach, they help me sort. They even challenge me. I stand beside the injured body of my child, and God speaks, softly, tenderly, “I will walk with you no matter what the outcome. I will be your provider and your strength. I will be your wisdom and your encouragement.” I question the futility of my efforts, and His voice reminds me the results are not mine to be responsible for, but they are His. He is the One at work. He is the One who brings beauty from ashes and wholeness from brokenness. He is the One who works in the shadows of darkness and in the muck of destitution. The questions seem unanswerable, and His whispers bring clarity and understanding. I am overwhelmed by demands, indecisive about moving forward, struggling with relationships, vacillating in my commitment – and I listen, and He speaks with whispers from His heart, His heart that beats with love and affection for me.
And, yes, whispers are only heard when I am still and wanting to hear His voice. The other voices must be quieted. and then, I hear my God.
– Bev
(Related Bible reading: 1 Kings 19:1-18)
