And a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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 a still small voice.
1 Kings 19:11b-12 NKJV
How often do we diligently seek God’s direction on a matter, only to feel frustrated? We pray for days, even weeks, without any clear answer from the Lord. We toss the dilemma around in our heads, hoping heaven will sound an alarm about which solution is best.
God wants us to know His will. He wants us to seek His wisdom. He isn’t disguising His purposes for our lives, but it might seem like a game of hide-and-go-seek to us. God is waiting for us to turn down the volume of the world.
In the above verse, the Lord was not in the wind or the earthquake, nor did Elijah see Him in the fire, but He spoke in a still small voice. Elijah heard nothing in the midst of thunderous rattling. Only in the peaceful quiet did he hear the Lord’s voice. Things haven’t changed much since Elijah’s day.
Sometimes, this world gets too noisy, and we cannot detect the whispers of God. We need to get away from the clamor, the stressful jobs and the demands filling our days. Doctor appointments, home fix-ups, car repairs, dinners here, and meetings there. Before long, we find ourselves exhausted. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Our responses are short and often unkind. We feel the weight of the world crushing the breath out of us.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
Daily, we must be still and hear His voice. We cannot allow our overscheduled lives to push time with our heavenly Father out. We need to pray. We need to read our Bibles. We need to meditate and hear from Him.
Sounds wonderful, but how do we find the time? We schedule it. We say “No.” to some things and some people. We entrust situations to God instead of bearing the burdens alone.
Take a Jesus break, before your burdens break you. What cares can you cast into the capable arms of Christ today?
Father, You didn’t design me for busyness. When I skip my time with You, my life is chaotic. Remove the chaos. Grant me wisdom to rearrange my schedule. Help me say, “No,” when necessary. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
HIKING THE TRAIL
Pencil in a time on your calendar or on your smart phone to take that Jesus break. Prayerfully examine your life. What responsibilities can someone else handle? What are the priorities, and what can be put on the back burner? Don’t allow sinful pride to keep you from asking for a helping hand.
DIG DEEPER
Read 1 Kings 19:9-18.
Copyright 2019 Carolyn Dale Newell.
Originally posted on August 21, 2020 @ 3:30 am