We have been taught that God is mighty and powerful, so we are often tempted to expect God to show up visibly in mighty and powerful
ways. David vividly describes God acting this way in his petitions in the Psalms. God can give us big, showy, and astronomically powerful shows. But God’s power and might are more often found in profoundly personal realisations that God is near, in that which we ordinarily experience. A whisper is mainly heard by the one it is directed to. A whisper can fill one’s heart with delight, as it can gently nudge one in the right direction without anyone else knowing we need help. A whisper is an
intimate communication. A whisper though small in volume, is a highly positive communication tool when coming from a trusted source.
Elijah needed a
personal, positive and constructive word to break the hold his depressed emotional state had over him. He needed to be able to trust the messenger enough to feel he could safely get up and step out into the world once more. God broke through all the destruction, chaos, and heat that paralysed Elijah with a gentle whisper. There is an inner movement towards peace in this action by God. It is a movement found in a life of prayerful faith.
There are two important things to notice in this story. Firstly, the whisper came from God to Elijah in a way that Elijah knew it was God. St Ignatius strongly advises those who help people seek God’s
will to “Let the Creator deal with the Creature.” (Spiritual Exercises 15). It is important to follow God’s will for your life and not just some good idea of a well-intended friend. Secondly, the Lord invited Elijah to come towards God’s presence by coming out of the cave to experience the Lord pass by. Deciding which way to go should always move us towards God, not away.
In all your decisions today, prayerfully consider your options with God, listening for the Lord’s quiet, reassuring voice.
Hold those options that lead you towards God until you are sure they are meant for you.
Release those that lead you away from God, as they were never yours in the first place. It is better to make a good decision prayerfully over time than a bad decision in haste.
Reflections by Cherie-Lynn van der Merwe
