PrayerSample

Sometimes It’s Best to Say Nothing

I love the scene in The Wizard of Oz where the wizard is exposed as a fraud, a fake, relying on special effects to make him out to be something he is not. He has no power, no authority; he was an entertainer. God isn’t the Wizard of Oz. He spoke the universe into being – no magic, no nonsense, the God of all, way-maker, promise-keeper, Alpha and Omega.

Sometimes when we pray to God, we sort of pray at Him—lots of words; lots of distractions. Sometimes we do this expecting dramatic Wizard of Oz-style showmanship from God.

1 Kings 19:12 vividly captures the essence of prayer in the story of the prophet Elijah. As Elijah sought refuge in a cave, a great wind, an earthquake, and a fire manifested, but the Lord was not in any of these powerful forces. Instead, Elijah encountered God in a gentle whisper.

In our own lives, there are times when the tumultuous winds of circumstance, the earthquakes of doubt, and the fires of adversity roar around us. In those moments, be like Elijah – stop and wait for the gentle whisper of God. Prayer is not about the volume of our words, but about the receptivity of our hearts.

Let’s listen as much as we speak; to be still as much as we act. 1 Kings 19:12 reminds us that amidst life’s storms, there is profound strength in the quiet moments of prayer. ‘Be still and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10).

Written by AARON WRIGHT