God communicates with us in a soft, gentle whisper, just as He did with Elijah. In this whisper, we can hear the always present voice, which speaks to our hearts. We are most receptive to this voice when we create a quiet environment, free from the noise and chatter of the world. The Lord is constantly passing by us, but we are often moving in the opposite direction. We seek God in various places, but He communicates with us by His spirit to our spirit. God’s presence is always with us, and the resurrected Christ is a resident guest in our hearts, ready to take action in our lives. (We All Need a Quiet Place one on one with God)
Contemplative prayer is a powerful tool to quiet the noise, distracting us from the awareness of the presence of God. In the quiet, God communicates with us in the sanctuary of our hearts like no other place of worship. It is in this sacred space that we can find peace and hope, even in the midst of life’s challenges. Work at calming the thoughts that swirl with the world’s cares in your mind. Find your footing in Christ as your world shakes with profound losses and grief. Let the fire of the Spirit consume the things that seek to crush your hope for living. Let peace and the presence of the resurrected Christ be a fountain of living water that restores your soul. Listen for the gentle whisper of God that always speaks life to your being, transforming your despair into hope, your grief into abiding peace, and the things of death into life.
Scripture:
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. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13
