SPIRITUAL: 5 Days of Inspiration for a Spirit-Led LifeSample

DAY 4 - WHEN GOD WHISPERS

When he was in his mid-70’s Pastor John Osteen was experiencing kidney failure. He needed weekly dialysis. His son Joel would take him to his appointments. One day at 3:30 in the morning Pastor Osteen could not sleep. He called Joel and asked if he could take him right then for his dialysis.

Joel picked up his dad and drove him to the dialysis center. Once his dad was all set Joel was going to leave. The treatment would last four hours. Usually, Joel would go to the church or run some errands and then come back and get his dad. But since it was so early Joel was going to go back home and sleep.

But Joel felt a prompting from the Holy Spirit that he should stay with his dad. Joel wanted to get some sleep and he would be back to pick up his dad like he always did. Yet, God was whispering to Joel to stay with his dad and not to leave.

So, Joel visited with his dad for those four hours. They talked and the time flew by. Then when the treatment was done Joel brought his dad back home. Pastor Osteen enjoyed the time he spent with his son so much that he told Joel, “You’re the best son a father could hope to have.”

As Joel drove away, he was happy he had stayed and spent time with his dad. Then that night he got a phone call from his mother, she told him that his dad had a heart attack and died.

The last time Joel ever spent with his dad was that morning. The last words he ever heard his dad speak were affirming. The last thought in his mind was how thankful he was he listened when God whispered to him.

1 Kings 19:12 says, “After the earthquake came a fire but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” When God speaks it is a whisper in our hearts, it is a still small voice we must be attuned to hear, it is a prompting that we feel deep inside our being.

It might not be an audible sound or a loud shout, but God speaks to us. We can hear him if we listen. And we must not just listen but obey. The Spirit wants to direct our lives, to guide us into his perfect plan for us. We need to be sensitive to his leading and open to his direction.

Don’t miss what the Spirit whispers to you.