Have you ever experienced God talking to you?  

What did His inner voice sound like? How about when the “storms” of life have caused havoc? Could you hear Him then? Sometimes I have trouble hearing Him when turmoil is around me. I find myself crying out to God only to find I don’t hear Him answering back.

If you can relate, you are in good company because Elijah also experienced periods of silence of God in the middle of his storm, as we sometimes do, but he overcame. Whatever the situations we face, we can rest assured God is with us even when we feel He is silent, and even in our tribulations, no matter what form they take.

Let’s take a look at what Elijah did to strengthen his resolve and improve his listening skills. We read this story in 1 Kings:

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks 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 came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

~1 Kings 19:11-13 NIV

Elijah stood on the mountain in the presence of God, but only as he heard a gentle whisper, did he pull his cloak over his head. Why? He recognized the whisper as God speaking to him. Why could Elijah hear God then?

Why didn’t the winds, earthquakes, and fires prevent him from hearing God? Elijah had learned to close off the world by covering his head with his cloak. He shut himself in. We can learn from his example. Just as Elijah experienced storms that he needed to take refuge in God’s presence from, so do we.

What do these winds, earthquakes, and fires equate to in our lives?

WINDS

The winds could very well represent the airwaves of our society. The news, music, or entertainment we watch could distract us and kept us from feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit. We have a plethora of family-friendly choices we can make instead of letting anything slip past our eye-gate.

EARTHQUAKES

The earthquakes could represent the trials that shake our stability. These changes could be pandemics, illnesses, financial upsets, changes in careers, or the like. These shaky moments can keep us from setting ourselves apart, and standing on the mountain, in the presence of the Lord. God is in charge—we can be confident these situations are temporary.

FIRES

The fires could represent the destruction of relationships, or our family unit. This could keep us from hearing the gentle whisper of God. But we can bring a blessing to our families if we set ourselves apart to hear God’s whisper…

GOD’S WHISPER

Let us ask God to help us stay focused on Him. Because the Lord whispers, while the enemy shouts via these destructive forces—the wind, earthquakes, and fires of life. I choose to focus on God’s whisper, and His alone. Are you with me? We can do this.

What routines are you establishing in order to strengthen your quiet time with God?

Oh Lord God, I want to know You, but at times my mind wanders. instill in me perseverance to overcome distractions. Help me to focus on You, and to stay in Your presence when You come. Like a Good Shepherd, lead me beside still waters. Bring order and calm to the chaos in my mind, so I can spend time in joyful meditation.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2020: God Whispered to Me: Author Ed Chappelle: All Rights Reserved