Denial of Service: Hearing God in a Chaotic World

Written by: Laura Ketchum

Day 1: The Distractions We Face

Every day, we’re surrounded by voices calling for our attention. These voices can sound like breaking news headlines, text messages, and the latest viral videos. From the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep, it’s rare to have a moment of silence when we can hear ourselves think.

We feel the effects of this constant stimulation. We’re distracted, focused on things that don’t matter and missing out on the things that do. We’re tired, weary from having our attention pulled from one voice to another. We’re stuck in our routines, going through the same motions day after day, never finding a moment to consider if there’s a better way to live.

While no one in the Bible had to contend with text messages and viral videos, the prophet Elijah knew what it was like to feel overwhelmed. After years of being on the run and bringing the word of God to the people of Israel, he was at the end of his rope. He retreated to the wilderness, and one night, he went out on a mountain, waiting for God to pass by.

The Book of 1 Kings tells us that there on that mountain, Elijah encountered a mighty wind, followed by a powerful earthquake, followed by a blazing fire. Each of these phenomena would have been striking and attention-grabbing in its own way. But God wasn’t in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. The life and hope Elijah was looking for were elsewhere.

A lot of times, the voices calling for our attention sound big and important. It can be easy to fool ourselves into thinking that we have to stay on top of every headline, every text, and every fad. Failing to give these voices the attention they want would be a missed opportunity or maybe even downright irresponsible.

But what if these voices—and the urgency behind them—aren’t quite as important as what they want us to think? If these aren’t the voices we should be listening to, where does that leave us?

Over the course of the next two days, we’ll spend some more time in 1 Kings 19 and unpack that question. Until then, consider the following reflection.

Take a moment to watch this video, "Denial of Service":

Reflection: Think about the voices you hear every day. What voices aren’t bringing you the life and hope you’re looking for? What would it look like to put some distance between yourself and those voices?

Prayer: Father, so many voices are calling for my attention every day. Would You give me the wisdom I need to discern what voices aren’t beneficial for my well-being—spiritual, mental, and physical? And would You help me separate myself from those voices in the future? In Jesus’ name, amen.