Listening in the Quiet

Silence can feel uncomfortable. In a noisy world, quiet moments often seem awkward and rather unsettling. We typically rush to fill them with music, scrolling, or conversation. We feed our need for some sort of sound when what we need most isn’t more noise but the stillness to listen.

When the prophet Elijah fled to the wilderness, he was exhausted and afraid. He longed for God to show up in power. And God did show up; but not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire. Instead, Elijah heard Him in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12).

1 Kings 19:12 NIV

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

That’s what slowing down gives us: the ability to hear the whisper.

In my own recovery and quest for a better sense of wellbeing, I’ve noticed that God often speaks in ways I would have missed if I had kept rushing. I hear His whispers in the quiet moments of early morning prayer, in the quiet walk through the park, and in the breath between chores. It’s in those times that His presence becomes nearer and clearer.

Listening takes intentionality. It means turning down the volume of the world and resisting the urge to fill every beat of silence. It means being patient enough to wait for His voice, even when it doesn’t come on our timetable. It rarely does.

What if the answer you’re seeking isn’t in the next podcast, article, or conversation but in the quiet moment you’ve been avoiding for fear of missing out?

When we slow down long enough to listen, we discover that God has been speaking all along. It’s not that He’s been silent. We simply needed to quiet the noise surrounding us to hear Him.

Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

You can now find my articles in The Christian Grandfather Magazine.

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