A Still Small Voice
"Then He said “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord”. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice” (NIV) 1 Kings 19:11-12
There’s much noise around us today. The news space is full of gloomy stuff; of economic crisis, of insecurity, of poverty, of hunger, of joblessness, of deteriorating health. Many workers are stressed up from pressures of work. Many students are saddled with daunting lecture notes and reading lists. Many married people are confronted with childbearing, parenting, in-law issues. Many singles are gnashing and confused. Often, these occupy our minds; obstructing us from focusing on God.
Jezebel had killed the prophets of the Lord and was seeking Elijah too (See 1 Kings 18). Elijah was distressed, running away from being killed. God asked him to come out from the cave, and go unto the mountain. As he stood there, a great and strong wind blew, breaking the rocks and removing the mountains but God was not in the wind. There were earthquakes and fire as well, but God wasn’t in there. These were much visible before Elijah, but God was not found in any of them. After all that, then came a “still small voice”. That was the voice of the Lord. The Lord had plans for him, and He declared all that to Elijah in that still small voice (See 1 Kings 19:11-15). Had Elijah focused only on the great wind, earthquake and fire without listening for the still small voice, he may have missed what God had prepared for Him.
Many of us are sometimes caught in this web: often focusing on the problems and troubles of life. We wake up rushing to work; come home thinking of bills. We seldom have time alone with God, meditating on His Word, and praising Him. But it is in the silent time we share with God that we can hear that “still small voice”. Mother Teresa once said “We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence”.
Friends, I believe God through the Holy Spirit, directs us all along the way of life. But often we don’t listen because of the problems we’re faced with. Are you confronted with a difficult decision to make, are you looking for a solution to your problem, are you worried about how things are happening in your life? God has the answer, the direction, the solution. Look to God dear, in your silent hour, through uninterrupted reading of scripture and meditation, you’ll hear that “still small voice” and that will be the genesis of your breakthrough. May that still small voice be clearer to you in Jesus name. Amen.