July 16th Devotion

Leaning into God’s Whisper
By Laura Bailey 

“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” 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.” 1 Kings 19:11-12 NIV

I sat on my front porch, watching the sun wake the morning sky. I’d been up for hours, unable to sleep; I brewed a pot of coffee, grabbed a cozy blanket, and rocked as I waited for the rest of my house to welcome the day.

Not one who typically struggles with prolonged visits with the sandman; this season of interrupted sleep weighed on me—but the tossing and turning of the sheets paled compared to what I felt in my heart. The day before, my husband gently asked after a particularly fitful night, “What have you so upset?” I whispered that I wasn’t sure but knew what was happening; I didn’t want to admit it.

The Lord placed on my heart a new ministry He wanted me to be involved in, but it was so out of my comfort zone that I’d shut that door mentally. But I knew the Lord was working on my heart to say yes, even though I was scared.

Sitting on my front porch, I prayed, “Lord, help me, calm my stirring spirit, and let me feel your presence comfort me today.” Afterward, I turned to my assigned reading for the day. Our church is reading through the Bible, and today’s Scripture was about Elijah. A little background: Elijah was a prophet tasked with delivering hard truths to a few wicked leaders. Afraid for his life, Elijah ran, seeking refuge in a cave. An angel came to Elijah and told him you must nap, eat something, and then get back to what the Lord has called you to do.

After resting up and filling his belly, Elijah reluctantly returns home. On his way, the Lord came to Elijah and instructed him to go out to the mountain and wait for the Lord’s presence to pass by. As Elijah stood waiting to be in the presence of the Lord, he experienced intense wind, an earthquake, and fire, but not God’s presence. Can you imagine being Elijah in that moment? God sent these powerful forces of nature yet chose a whisper as the avenue in which he spoke to Elijah. And Scripture tells us that it wasn’t just any whisper, but a gentle whisper.

Our God is all-powerful and mighty, a force like no other, but I love how we see His heart for His children. Elijah was running from what the Lord commanded him to do; he was scared, anxious, and likely worried about the outcome if he did what the Lord asked of him. It would have been easier for Elijah to hide in that cave for the rest of his life, in the comfort and control of his surroundings. But the Lord had bigger plans for Elijah (and us!); even in uncertainty, God wanted Elijah to trust Him.

So, we see that the Lord rebukes Elijah not with anger or bluster but with gentleness, kindness, and love. God didn’t promise that everything would be easy for Elijah or that his life would escape tribulation, but God did promise to be with Elijah through it all.

As I thought about my own life, the anxiousness over the unknown, the fear of what is going to happen next, and the guilt that I felt for feeling that way, I felt comfort in reading God’s response to Elijah. I had a job to do for the Lord, to know Him and make Him known. And even when I was scared or concerned about the unknown, God was always with me, gently guiding and directing me as I did His will.