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. After the fire came a gentle whisper ...Elijah heard it" ... (I Kings 19:11-12)
I have a dear friend who is a kindergarten teacher and has taught over twenty-five years. I have visited her classroom many times over the years and have always been amazed at the control she has over a group of energetic and animated five-year old students. She doesn't crack a whip, she doesn't scream threats, or stomp her feet. She is quiet. She never raises her voice. In fact, she is a soft-spoken lady in every day life. That's why I was very surprised to realize how well she managed her wiggly group. Actually, the key to her success is her soft voice which is sometimes nothing more than a whisper. This works well for her because the children have to quiet down, slow down, and listen closely in order to hear her. They realize that if they don't become silentthemselves, they will miss what their beloved teacher is saying. There is a lesson her for all of us and it is a lesson that God gives us in His Scriptures. It's the lesson of being still and quiet.
It's amazing how hard it is to be still and quiet. Our society encourages all types of background noise often referred to a white noise. It's the TV playing when no one is watching. It's the sound of traffic on a busy street. It's even the i Pod ear buds playing wonderful music all day long. But God tells us that often times He will whisper to us. How can we hear Him if there is so much noise in our lives?
Psalm 46 describes a God that is an ever-present help in trouble and grief. It describes mountains falling into the sea, waters that roar and foam and kingdoms crashing. Yet in the middle of all this noise, in verse 10, our Father says "Be still and know that I am God." God is fighting our battles for us. He is taking on the enemy of hurt, sadness, and overwhelming depression that is so disabling on the grief journey. All that He asks of us is to be still and quiet so we can hear Hiswhisper. After all, how can we hear our Father God tell us how much He loves us or even call us His child when we are bombarded with unnecessary noise?. In order to hear God's whisper, we have to move very close to Him. Not only do we need to read His Word and talk to Him daily, but we must arrange quiet time with the God of Comfort. Believe me this is easier said than done, especially when you have a house full of family or have an overloaded work schedule. But it can be done with a little effort and prioritizing. God speaks when you are ready - hush your soul and listen.
Your Toolbox for Grieving
The tool I would like you to add to your toolbox today is silence. Purposely schedule time on your calendar for sitting in silence listening for God's whisper. This means that you must enter your time of silence with prayer, read Scriptures and ask God to open your spiritual ears so that you can hear Him. Ask Him to speak words of comfort to you that would be live salve on your broken heart. And then, be still and listen. It won't be words that you hear with your physical ears, rather words that you hear with the earsof your heart. Try it. It's amazing. You will hear a voice that resonated deep in your soul. You will have an Elijah experience and hear a majestic whisper.
Journaling Ideas
1. What has been the best thing that happened to you this week?
2. What has been the worst thing that happened to you this week?
3. What prevents you from quiet time alone with God?
4. Read Philippians 4:6-8. What is God's cure for anxiety? List the things God wants you to think about. Ask God what He wants you to hear.
5. Describe the battle that sometimes rages in your mind.
Dear one, may you have ears to hear what the Lord is saying to you. I pray that the rod and the staff of the God of all creation will comfort you. May you pull up a chair to the table that your Heavenly Father has prepared for you and feel the anointed oil on your head. I pray that goodness and mercy will follow you all your days as you dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen ( based on Psalm 23 )
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. After the fire came a gentle whisper ...Elijah heard it" ... (I Kings 19:11-12)
It's amazing how hard it is to be still and quiet. Our society encourages all types of background noise often referred to a white noise. It's the TV playing when no one is watching. It's the sound of traffic on a busy street. It's even the i Pod ear buds playing wonderful music all day long. But God tells us that often times He will whisper to us. How can we hear Him if there is so much noise in our lives?
Psalm 46 describes a God that is an ever-present help in trouble and grief. It describes mountains falling into the sea, waters that roar and foam and kingdoms crashing. Yet in the middle of all this noise, in verse 10, our Father says "Be still and know that I am God." God is fighting our battles for us. He is taking on the enemy of hurt, sadness, and overwhelming depression that is so disabling on the grief journey. All that He asks of us is to be still and quiet so we can hear Hiswhisper. After all, how can we hear our Father God tell us how much He loves us or even call us His child when we are bombarded with unnecessary noise?. In order to hear God's whisper, we have to move very close to Him. Not only do we need to read His Word and talk to Him daily, but we must arrange quiet time with the God of Comfort. Believe me this is easier said than done, especially when you have a house full of family or have an overloaded work schedule. But it can be done with a little effort and prioritizing. God speaks when you are ready - hush your soul and listen.
Your Toolbox for Grieving
The tool I would like you to add to your toolbox today is silence. Purposely schedule time on your calendar for sitting in silence listening for God's whisper. This means that you must enter your time of silence with prayer, read Scriptures and ask God to open your spiritual ears so that you can hear Him. Ask Him to speak words of comfort to you that would be live salve on your broken heart. And then, be still and listen. It won't be words that you hear with your physical ears, rather words that you hear with the earsof your heart. Try it. It's amazing. You will hear a voice that resonated deep in your soul. You will have an Elijah experience and hear a majestic whisper.
Journaling Ideas
1. What has been the best thing that happened to you this week?
2. What has been the worst thing that happened to you this week?
3. What prevents you from quiet time alone with God?
4. Read Philippians 4:6-8. What is God's cure for anxiety? List the things God wants you to think about. Ask God what He wants you to hear.
5. Describe the battle that sometimes rages in your mind.
Dear one, may you have ears to hear what the Lord is saying to you. I pray that the rod and the staff of the God of all creation will comfort you. May you pull up a chair to the table that your Heavenly Father has prepared for you and feel the anointed oil on your head. I pray that goodness and mercy will follow you all your days as you dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen ( based on Psalm 23 )