“11 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. 12 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)
How are your listening skills? I know I get easily distracted when trying to listen to someone. Or, in my mind, I am already trying to form my response to the person instead of just listening to them. And, I don’t think I am alone with these issues. As a society, I think we have lost some of our abilities to listen well. But it is not unexpected because we filled our world with constant noises that compete for our attention.
The Whisper
My mother-in-law taught school, and she used to say that if you want to get someone’s attention, whisper. She employed this technique in her classroom and with my children, and it worked. I think people associate whispers with a hidden message, so with their curiosity piqued, then employed their best listening skills.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do. Click To TweetI love the above verse from 1 Kings because it speaks volumes to me about all the distractions that hide God’s voice. How often do we search for God’s voice in the world’s noise? We listen in the storms, the fires and the earthquakes of life, but never slow down enough to listen during the quiet moments of our lives. And what would we do if we really heard the gentle whisper of God? Would we listen and obey or ignore it?
Listening to a Whisper
Many years ago, I experienced something that I will never forget. I read the paper one Saturday morning and saw an ad for a Christmas sale at a local shop. The store announced that it would randomly pick three people that day to receive all their purchases for free. I scoffed and turned the page, but as I did, I heard that gentle whisper that said, go. Money was tight in those days and it sounded great to get some Christmas stuff for free. Was it God or my imagination? I told my husband, and he laughed. “Do you know what the odds are that they will pick you?” He said. But something felt different about this voice. I knew the idea sounded crazy, but I listened and obey.
Well, long story short, I went by myself, because my family thought it crazy. And as I stood in line, I saw the manager glance my way. She walked over to me and said you are one of our winners today. Some might think it a coincidence, but I know better. God whispered to see if I would listen or not. I think this was the first time God whispered to me, but it was not the last time. I often think God tested me that day to see how I responded. Once I passed, He knew He could trust me with other, more important assignments.
Verses on Listening for God’s Voice
God can speak to us in many other ways, too. For example, He speaks through friends, songs, Bible verses or sermon. The important key is that we listen for His message. There are several other Bible verses that remind us to listen for God’s voice.
- Proverbs 3:6 (MSG)—“Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.”
- Deuteronomy 30:20a (NIV)–“and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.”
- Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)–“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”
Discerning the Whisper
When God whispers to us, we can discern the voice to make sure it is not our own. Here are some ways we can use in this discernment:
- Look at the scriptures–God does not speak to us with something that does not align with His Word.
- Seek Godly counsel–a trusted person can offer a healthy input into knowing if what we hear is from God or man.
- Following a godly whisper will bring us peace, not turmoil.
- Does it line with God’s characteristics like love, justice and truthful, for example.
Back to my story. At the store, I loaded up my shopping cart with Christmas decoration in anticipation of God’s blessing. But then I again heard a voice that whispered not to be greedy. So, I listened again and only kept a handful of items. One item, an animated Santa, sat on my hearth for many years, and reminded me of joy of listening for God’s whisper.
Prayer
Dearest Heavenly Father. Please help us slow down and listen for your whispers. We want to hear your voice and follow you all the days of our lives. So, please help us silence the worldly noises and make us still our busy minds. Thank you, Lord, for guiding my steps. In Jesus’ most holy name. Amen.
Do you need prayer? I would love to pray for you. Submit your prayer request on my website at https://yvonne-morgan.com/submit-your-prayer-request-here/
Grace and Peace to you,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian #author, #blogger, and #speaker. #BibleGatewayPartner
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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Couldn’t help but hear the old E.F. Hutton commercial in my mind. I can’t say that God has ever led me to win a prize, but I’m convinced that He can and does that very thing. Ours is a God of provision and blessing and He cares for His dear children. I’ve been blessed in too many ways, slowing down to miss an accident, delaying a flight only to have the original have significant problems, passing on a seemingly great job opportunity, waiting to make sure she was my right life-mate this time. So many times, my obedience has been blessed. Thank you for sharing this riveting story Ms. Yvonne.
As I look back over my life, I find all the same kind of truths. Our obedience leads to blessings. Sometimes, it feels easier to follow our own path but I’m slowly learning that God’s ways are always better too. Thanks JD. Blessings
I love this message. God speaks to us in bold ways and in gentle whispers. I pray I will be alert for His messages. Have a blessed day! 🙂
Me too Melissa. In fact, for my word this year, I picked Listen. I want to hear God’s whisper’s always. Blessings
I remember when I was younger I craved being busy, because when I was busy I couldn’t be worried or stressed or think about things that made me melancholy… but I lost so much good from surrounding myself with so much noise. My goal isn’t to be worry free or sadness free now but to be open to God and what God wants me to do, and I can’t do that if I’m not listening well to him (or others). I can’t listen well if I’m not being intentional about carving out time to be in silence. Great post!!
It is so easy to crave the busyness to keep from feeling. I understand. This year my word is listen to remind myself to slow down and intentionally seek Christ. The noises of the world drown out so much. Thanks Jessica. Blessings
A great post, Yvonne! The gentle whisper of the Lord is the voice we lean toward, hoping to hear His intimate words, so that we may drawn ever nearer to Him.
Amen Melinda. I will spend more time listening this year to hear His precious words. Blessings
Your post enlightened me to the Scripture from 1 Kings. I’ve never paused to consider it in this light. Maybe this is why we’re cautioned to “be still and know God.” He doesn’t come in the noise but the quiet. And maybe it’s a caution to be alert for His presence at all times so we don’t want to miss the whispers. Something I’m working toward!
And the world around us makes all the noises to distract us from listening. I know I need to be more intentional about it. Thanks Candyce. Blessings
Such a fun blessing. I love when God gives us glimpses of His goodness through stories like this. These are some of my favorite scriptures. Thank you for sharing them and this wonderful story.
Thank you Jennifer. Blessings
I love how God took your hand and led you to trust Him, Yvonne. He’s a gentle Teacher.
He is a gentle teacher and very patient when we are slow to learn too. Thanks Annie. Blessings
Such a great story, Yvonne. And Isaiah 30:21 is one of my favorite passages about listening for God and seeking His direction. Thank you.
Thank you Karen. Blessings
Perhaps our biggest challenge today is quieting our spirits so we can hear His whisper. Great message, Yvonne. God bless.
Thanks Nancy and you are 100% correct. Blessings
Such a beautiful story and reading it brightens my day. I have also heard God’s whisper and it changed my life when I followed His guidance. Thank you for sending me a blessing today, Yvonne.
Very welcome Katherine. It does change lives with so many blessings.