“And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks 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 the sound of a low whisper.” – 1 Kings 19:11-12
2020 feels something like a devastating windstorm followed by a violent earthquake followed by a sweeping fire! Thus we must learn not to be overwhelmed or distracted by the thundering chaos that surrounds us, but to listen for the low whisper of God’s voice. Every follower of Christ has God’s Spirit within them and He speaks to us. However, we must discipline ourselves to listen for His voice amidst the hustle and bustle of our lives, for His voice is most often a whisper.
God speaks to us in many ways. First and foremost, He speaks through His Word. This makes sense, for it is His Word, given to His people for all time. If we aren’t interested in seeking to hear His voice here, He’s unlikely to speak to us in other ways! His Word gives us what we need to navigate the challenges we encounter in life. However to hear His voice we must discipline ourselves to be reading His Word daily and systematically. And we must read with hearts open to hear what God is saying to us through His Word.
God speaks to us through the unexpected insights and wisdom of our godly friends. People can certainly be mistaken, but we must recognize when sometimes the people God places in our lives are actually speaking on His behalf.
God certainly speaks to us by laying clear impressions on our hearts. Here we must be carefully discerning. We must make sure we aren’t hearing our own voice or the devil’s. Nonetheless, as we learn to hear God’s voice, it becomes clearer and more distinctive.
In times like these, Christians must be diligent and disciplined in quieting ourselves, finding quiet times and places, and listening for the low whisper of God’s voice guiding and encouraging us.