“A Season to Encounter God”
When was the last time you encountered God?
I have been a follower of Jesus for 50 years. I accepted Jesus at the age of 8… you can do that math! I have been a pastor for over 30 years, and I can say this from the depth of my soul: I have been encountering Jesus in a new, personal, joyful, deep, challenging, and exciting way MORE in the past three years, than in the previous 47.
You may be asking: What changed?
I struggle to put my journey with Jesus into words, but I believe it came down to this: I have spent my life, telling people that Jesus loved them and that He had grace for them, and knew them by name, but I struggled to receive that for myself I knew He loved YOU but I struggled to believe that He could truly love ME.
Jesus, knowing that I was struggling, sent people to me (my wife, my therapist, my friends), to confront my wrong belief that I was in a different category when it came to God’s love. Through their love and example, I started to open my heart to the promise that when Jesus said, “I love you,” He not only meant it but that I could believe it and receive it for myself.
I am in a different place in my faith than I have ever been before, because, in an ongoing way, I am connecting, colliding, and deeply engaging with Jesus in ways that I never imagined possible. And to be honest, most of it is happening in the quiet, reflective moments of my life where God whispers His love to me!
Elijah had been through incredible trials, from confrontations with kings to moments of fear and despair. He found himself in a cave, hoping for clarity from God. But instead of God coming in a mighty wind, earthquake, or fire, He came in a gentle whisper. God often speaks to us not in the dramatic, but in the quiet, subtle moments.
We tend to expect God to speak loudly or forcefully, especially in times of crisis. But often, it’s in the stillness that we hear Him most clearly. Are you in a season where you’re searching for God’s voice? Are you waiting for Him to speak dramatically when He’s already speaking softly? Listen to how God shows up in Elijah’s life:
“After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” (1 Kings 19:12 NIV)
The whisper of God is a reminder of His proximity. He’s near, even when we don’t feel it. The key is learning to listen. God’s voice may come in the quiet moments, through Scripture, prayer, or even through the words of others. But if we don’t pause to listen, we might miss it.
Take a moment today to sit in silence. What is God whispering to you? How can you quiet your heart to hear Him and what will you do with all that He says? Let’s pray:
God, thank You for speaking to us in the stillness. Help us to listen for Your voice, even in the chaos of life. We want to hear Your gentle whisper and follow where You lead. Amen.
Never forget my friend,
You are a miracle!
