The Power of Silence - Hearing God's Whispers

"Is the ambient noise level of my life low enough for me to hear the whispers of the Lord?"

It's quite a well-known quote from Bill Hybels, but when I read it again recently I began to ask myself some questions about the 'noise' levels in my life and how sensitive I am to God's whispers.

I love the story in 1 Kings 19 where God speaks to Elijah.

The elements are at God's disposal and he was pleased to employ them in the previous chapter when he sent down fire from heaven, followed by a rain storm. He is the one who knows how to get the attention of nations in quite a dramatic fashion! But as Elijah sits alone in a cave feeling hopeless and at the end of himself, God comes to his prophet and whispers to him.

Sometimes it's a challenge to just sit and be still. It requires discipline. I have to fight my urge to waffle, fidget, think about a text I need to send, work I need to do, washing I need to get done.

Jim Elliot once said “I think the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds . . . Satan is quite aware of the power of silence.”

The world throws so many distractions at us and seems to continually scream 'do, do, do!' But Jesus in contrast says "Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors".

Recently I've deliberately set aside chunks of time to be before God in silence and to have solitude. No people, no phones, no internet, no books, no music, no emails. It's been an amazing journey and I have found God so willing to draw near and speak to me. He is so surprising.

In Psalm 29 it says that God's voice is powerful, full of majesty, breaks cedars, flashes flames of fire, shakes the wilderness and strips the forests bare. And yet he loves to draw close to his children and whisper in our ears. I find it hard to get my head round! Elijah seemed to stand unmoved by God's displays of power but when his still small voice came he was at once affected. It changes everything.

I love God's voice. It carries such strength, peace, courage, correction, love, grace, purpose. I could go on. There's really nothing like it. So, if you want to be happy, listen, watch and wait!

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"A closed mouth before God and silent heart are indispensable for the reception of certain kinds of truth. No man is qualified to speak who has not first listened." [A.W. Tozer]
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"It must be that preparation for ministry demands significant times of solitude. We simply can't maintain a radical God-centeredness under an unbroken barrage of human interaction. The depth and value of what you bring in your heart to other people will depend on what you do with your solitude". [John Piper]