Thursday: God is with us in the "I can't evens."

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:11-12  

"And he said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks 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 the sound of a low whisper."

So often we look for God in the spectacular or in the loudness.  Earth, Wind, and Fire have some great funky tunes, but they aren’t the key to connection to God. We see that during Elijah's encounter with God that it wasn’t in the earth, the wind, or the fire.  it was within the quiet whisper that God was present. This demonstrates that God often communicates not through grand displays but through intimate, quiet moments. It calls us to seek God beyond the noise of life in startling calmness where His voice offers guidance.

This passage challenges us to reconsider how we perceive God's presence, listening for His voice beyond the storms and drama. It emphasizes the value of silence and solitude, positioning ourselves to hear God’s subtle yet profound communication. God’s whisper can provide peace and clarity amid life’s chaos, warning us against becoming desensitized by noise, encouraging intentional listening.  We need to put ourselves in the position where we can tune into God when the rest of the world is screaming at us.  

Trust God in the I can't evens:  

Jesus, in His ministry, often withdrew to lonely places to pray, filtering out noise to connect deeply with God. Sometimes the public would get frustrated with Him. And sometimes, even His disciples would also get mad about it. But He knew that He needed that time to hear God. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we too can cultivate practices of solitude and listening to understand God's voice in our lives.

ACTION STEP: Dedicate a few minutes today to sit in silence before God, allowing Him to speak to you in the stillness. Prioritize creating this space in your routine.  Sometimes I’ve just got to set a timer and then put my phone on the other side of the room to allow for this to happen. But every time I can reconnect and recalibrate with God, it’s worth it!

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, I pray that you open my heart and mind to Your gentle whisper. I realize that I can try and try to generate peace.  But I acknowledge that You are the Prince of Peace. Please speak to me today. In Jesus name, amen.  

Earth Wind and Fire Christmas Song of the Day (why not be the first devotional EVER to feature this band? LOL) Earth, Wind & Fire - The First Noel