God Speaks
1 Kings 19:10-13 (NIV)
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Throughout our lives, God will speak to us in a host of ways. At times, we will have the mountaintop experiences like Elijah on Mount Carmel, where we experience a dramatic manifestation of God’s power speaking into our circumstances. Other times, his voice will require a stillness from us, a quiet whisper that we need to lean close to hear.
Last year, I can remember a few months in which I really struggled to hear God’s voice. My head was often filled with spiralling thoughts and, amidst the clutter and chatter, I would find it really difficult to separate my thoughts from God’s. I remember one day reading the verse from Matthew 12:20 that says ’A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out’. To be honest, it didn’t feel like the personal voice of God that had been familiar to me previously; and yet it seemed to cut through the noise in my head and heart, and I found myself returning to those words again and again. Only in hindsight can I see how deeply God spoke to and sustained me through the Scriptures in that season. As time has gone on, I have found myself hearing God much more in my 'gut', with just this strong sense of peace or a disturbance in my spirit that seem to point me to what God is saying.
The point is, God speaks to us in many different ways according to our individual need. In some moments, we find ourselves hit by strong convictions or bold calls out into the 'battlefield', while in others he quietly washes us over with peace and encouragement. Apparent silence from God, or absence of unmissable moves of power, do not indicate God’s inactivity (he is always working for our good!) Our job is to familiarise ourselves with his voice, especially in Scripture, so we don’t miss it when he speaks.
Prayer — Thank you Jesus that we do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from your mouth. Father God, help us to make room for you to speak through the Spirit this week so that we might be guided by your Word.