Can You Hear God's Whispers?
Photo image courtesy of Pixabay
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. – 1 Kings 19:11–12
The world shouts at us. Marketers, media influencers, and politicians work relentlessly to capture our attention. Their goals vary: they want us to buy things, believe things, or cast our vote a certain way. The world seduces us as it always has: by awakening the lust of our flesh, the lust of our eyes, and the pride of life. The world reminds me of an army bugler blowing reveille, followed by a hypnotist bent on working in our subconscious. The world wakes us up, then slips drugs in our drinks.
The verse above comes after Elijah’s amazing spiritual victory on Mount Carmel. When Queen Jezebel heard that he had killed all her false prophets and priests, she went on a rampage to murder this servant of the Most High God. Rather than turning to the Lord, Elijah ran for his life and hid. So, the Lord spoke to Elijah, but not with wind, or earthquakes, or fire. God whispered.
God extends a quiet invitation to us to come to Him. While creation declares His glory, rarely is His call to us any more startling than the sound of a cardinal’s song or the flutter of a butterfly's wings. Only the mindful who seek his face will sense his presence.
Spiritual awareness begins with waking up from the spell cast by this bewitching world. Then we quiet our souls by turning a deaf ear to all the lies the world screams at us. Finally, we must be fully conscious of the Lord's presence. He rewards those who seek him.
Asaph, an ancient songwriter in Israel, struggled with spiritual awareness. In Psalm 73, he writes about being distracted by the way wicked people prosper while godly people suffer. It wasn’t until Asaph consciously chose to worship that he realized the lies he’d been believing. “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end” (Psalm 73:17). If you struggle with Asaph’s questions, maybe it’s time for you to worship. Only by making time each day to listen to God speak through His Word—the Bible—to converse with Him in prayer, to be quiet before Him, and to let Him settle our souls can we develop our senses to his presence. The world talks a lot about mindfulness and being present, but it knows nothing of Yahweh Shammah—the Lord is There. So, let’s pop in some spiritual earbuds and tune into the whispers of God.
Questions for Reflection:
1. When and where do you find yourself most aware of God’s presence?
2. What awakens spiritual awareness in you?
