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
When reading the Bible, we often run across stories of God’s incredible miracles, especially in the Old Testament. Stories such as Moses’ encounter with the burning bush, Elijah
calling down fire from Heaven, and the parting of the Red Sea are crucial to the Bible.
Yet they can also give us an incorrect view of God and His miracles if studied on their own without context.
Many people, especially new Christians, expect God’s presence to be big and obvious at all times. They can see God in widely reported miracles, such as the healing of terminal cancer or the birth of healthy triplets to a woman who was told she’d never conceive. However, focusing on these can make it harder to hear how God usually speaks – in a gentle whisper.
Just like an earthly parent, God doesn’t like to shout to get our attention. Tuning in to His whispers shows Him we can hear Him and will listen to what He says. Gentle whispers won’t be obvious at first, particularly if you’re a new Christian. With practice though, you’ll hear them. They often come in the form of a Bible verse you’ve read before, but that has a greater impact than usual. Sometimes they come as a nudge to do or pray about something specific. Sometimes, God uses other people to tell us something we need to hear. At other times, a change in circumstance might let you know God is quietly speaking. For example, a job opportunity in your city that comes just before you move might be God’s way of telling you to stay.
Miracles are an important part of God’s work, and we should never stop looking for them. However, His whispers are what will guide us the most in our journeys. own
without context.
Many people, especially new Christians, expect God’s presence to be big and obvious at all times. They can see God in widely reported miracles, such as the healing of terminal cancer or the birth of healthy triplets to a woman who was told she’d never conceive. However, focusing on these can make it harder to hear how God usually speaks – in a gentle whisper.
Just like an earthly parent, God doesn’t like to shout to get our attention. Tuning in to His whispers shows Him we can hear Him and will listen to what He says. Gentle whispers won’t be obvious at first, particularly if you’re a new Christian. With practice though, you’ll hear them. They often come in the form of a Bible verse you’ve read before, but that has a greater impact than usual. Sometimes they come as a nudge to do or pray about something specific. Sometimes, God uses other people to tell us something we need to hear. At other times, a change in circumstance might let you know God is quietly speaking. For example, a job opportunity in your city that comes just before you move might be God’s way of telling you to stay.
Miracles are an important part of God’s work, and we should never stop looking for them. However, His whispers are what will guide us the most in our journeys.
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