Listening to God's VoiceSample

The Still, Small Voice

“After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12 (NIV)

On Mount Sinai, God spoke to Moses in the midst of thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast (Exodus 19:16), and out of that encounter, God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments through Moses (Exodus 20). Yet, four centuries later, on the same mountain, Elijah experiences a similar dramatic experience, yet he only hears God’s gentle, still, small voice that comes afterward. Do we expect God to speak only through dramatic, supernatural, and miraculous ways, and have missed His still, small voice that came as a gentle whisper?

So often, in our noisy and busy world, and amid the challenges of life, we hurriedly hear but miss God’s voice, perhaps because we are expecting God to speak through the mighty wind, earthquake, and fire. But often God’s voice comes as a gentle whisper after all the noises have passed.

Elijah was used to hearing God’s voice(1 Kings 17-18); however, the circumstances were different this time. He was on the run, with the enemies hot in pursue, after Jezebel ordered to kill all the prophets. (1 Kings 19:1) Faced with setbacks and disappointments, he lost the will to live and asked God to take his life. (1 Kings 19:4) Yet, our loving God, was so ready to minister to him, and to comfort him with his voice, as a loving father would comfort his son.

While we may expect God to speak to Elijah – through the mighty wind, earthquake, and the fire (1 Kings 11-12), God chose to speak with a “still, small voice.” Amazingly, Elijah was not distracted by the noises, and instead he had honed in on the gentle whisper—Elijah “heard it” (1 Kings 19:13)! Imagine, if Elijah had been too caught up with the mighty wind, earthquake, and fire, he would have missed God speaking to him. Elijah’s attentiveness and stillness to perceive God’s presence and message gave him the encouragement and faith to trust God and to continue with his ministry. (1 Kings 19:15-18)

Reflection

In our busy and noisy world, it can be easy to miss God’s voice if we’re only looking for something loud and spectacular. Sometimes, God speaks in the quiet moments, in the gentle whispers of our hearts. Are we creating space and time in our lives to be still and to listen for that still, small voice? What distractions do we need to quiet down to hear Him more clearly?

Prayer

Dear God, help me to find moments of stillness in my day to listen for your voice. Forgive me for the times I’ve been too busy or distracted to hear you. Teach me to recognize your gentle whispers in the quiet places of my heart. Amen.