1 Kings 19:11 “Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”

Additional scripture: Psalm 46:10, Jeremiah 29:13

The literal translation in the Hebrew of “still small voice” can be translated to “sheer silence”. It can be hard for you to actually be present and still, when there is so much going on around you, and fighting for your attention. But, it is in the silence that:

• We find the presence of God (joy, peace, love, wisdom, patience, forgiveness, kindness, goodness)
• We receive power to be effective Christ followers
• Where God restores our soul

Neglecting solitude with Christ adds strain to our heart, mind, and soul from being filled with the power from the Holy Spirit. This can show up in a shorter temper, unwillingness to forgive, need for outside validation, unhealthy habits, bondage to sin, hopelessness, etc.

Being still doesn’t necessarily mean doing less but inviting God’s presence throughout your day. Even Jesus often drew away from the crowds to pray, recognizing His need for God’s presence. Our minds and hearts begin to change when we are aware of the closeness of Christ; God gets to be God and our life becomes less about pleasing ourselves.

Seek God as a vital necessity and He will be found!

Elizabeth Chinn