Take several seats
It’s difficult to stay the course when we’re tired, worn down, defeated, discouraged, you name it. How do we find rest in the unknown? How is it possible to settle the doubt and replace it with peace? It seems so daunting at times, doesn’t it? This world is so noisy, and only seems to grow louder ,yet we are to quiet ourselves and listen for God’s voice.
Are you laughing yet?
But if we are being honest, sometimes we look for God in the “loud”. The big. The production. The “wowza” moment. The grand finale. But often times we need to know where God is NOT. If we look at scripture, we see something interesting here in Elijah’s journey. In the midst of his discouragement, while he is on the run for his life by the way, Elijah begins pouring out his frustrations to God. Goodness, haven’t we all been in this place? Maybe not on the run for our life with an entire army trying to kill us, but isn’t that place of frustration and discouragement all too familiar? Where we just unload our hearts and minds onto God’s plate. Here is what I love about this … God welcomes those moments. Those real glimpses of the rawest nature of our hearts. He says “bring it all to me and you go rest”. Whew.
Ok, back to scripture ….
(1 Kings 19:11-13) In the midst of Elijah’s rawest moment, God tells him to go stand on the mountain and wait for the Lord’s presence to pass by. I don’t know about you, but I would go to that mountain waiting for a big HUZZAH moment.
So Elijah waits.
A mighty wind tears through the mountain … but it wasn’t God.
An earthquake shatters the mountain … but it wasn’t God.
A fire rips through the mountain … but it wasn’t God.
Then comes a soft, still whisper. And the Bible says when Elijah heard it, he KNEW God was there. In fact, he was so confident of God’s voice that he covered His face as a sign of reverence of God’s presence. How did he know? Because when God speaks, He speaks with an authority that brings peace. Don’t misunderstand what is happening here … God demonstrates His POWER through these displays. But He doesn’t SPEAK there. When He speaks, His voice silences the noise. His voice calms the storm. His voice pierces through the thickest of mud and muck and lands directly on our hearts.
This means:
Fear has to take a seat.
Anxiety has to take a seat.
Worry has to take a seat.
Depression has to take a seat.
In fact, tell them all to take SEVERAL seats. Because Jesus said “it is finished”. And His words are finite. Just like when a parent tells their argumentative teenager “This conversation is over. We’re finished”. Jesus says the same — I’ve already handled this. It’s over. We’re done.
IT.
IS.
FINISHED.
Allow the still, peaceful whisper of God to permeate your heart + give that truth room to sink in.
He said it. He’s done it. And he will do it again.