Elijah was deeply discouraged. Despite having just experienced a stunning victory over the pagan priests of Baal on Mount Carmel, he cowered at the death threat of the evil Queen Jezebel. Seeking refuge in the wilderness, his despair became so great that he asked God to let him die!

Elijah ventured farther into the wilderness to Horeb, where God told him to ascend the mountain. We read in 1 Kings 19:11-12: “… And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks 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: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”

Here, God did not present dramatic manifestations of His great power. Rather He communicated in a still small voice.

Many years earlier, in the same location, God roused the Israelites to attention through thunder, lightning and smoke from Sinai. They were not in tune with God. But today, with spiritual Israel, He typically communicates much differently: just as with Elijah, in a still small voice.

“God does not often manifest Himself in mind-shattering physical events,” Gerald Flurry writes about this event. “Usually He comes in a still small voice. But it is still the same omnipotent God! You must learn to recognize God in that ‘still small voice’ …”
(The Former Prophets).

Our sensitivity and submission to the still small voice determines our spiritual success. Here are two areas to consider.

Guidance

“God can be speaking to you in a number of ways: through a sermon, an article, a counseling; through fellowship or your prayers; maybe through a trial,” wrote Joel Hilliker. “You may not actively resist, but you can easily ignore Him! Don’t resist by being neglectful. Listen to what God is trying to tell you” (Royal Vision, May-June 2017).

God’s Spirit working on our minds is like our conscience working on the human spirit. We might have a thought to help or encourage somebody, to pray for somebody that we don’t realize needs our help. We could even have a cautionary feeling about a situation where God is trying to protect us from making a bad decision. God can guide us in our decision making if we look to Him and listen to Him. Of course, we are human, and although we are striving to put on the mind of God, we cannot assume that every thought we have is inspired by God. Ultimately though, that is the goal. “God’s Spirit is extremely powerful, but it can be quietly so. That means it is very easy to ignore. … Make it easy for God to get our attention. [Listen] to God sensitively …”(ibid; emphasis added).

The still small voice also affords protection as it guides us in our path. Listening to the still small voice can prevent us from making wrong, even disastrous, decisions.

Satan orchestrates a noisy world. This is designed to drown out the still small voice. He wants us to look to ourselves, to be so busy and distracted by the material world that we won’t even think to bring our day-to-day cares and decisions before God.

Strive to involve God in everything. Go to Him in an instant, saying, I am stuck. I need your help. I don’t know what to say or how to deal with this situation. I need your inspiration and guidance. As we acknowledge and depend on Him, He is eager to help us.

Jesus Christ set the perfect example for us. He was always led by the Holy Spirit. He listened perfectly to the still small voice. Romans 8:14 says: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Sons of God allow themselves to be led by the Spirit of God. “God’s Spirit doesn’t force, command or control. It leads. It influences our thinking—it suggests. We must voluntarily submit to its influence, follow and obey its suggestions. [W]e must choose to be led by the Holy Spirit” (ibid).

God’s guidance also comes through His government. “Today, God speaks through His ministry,” Mr. Flurry writes. “When God’s ministers speak from the Bible, they are speaking in a still, small voice. We had better listen to that voice. We are to follow a man as he follows Christ. God wants to teach us what He taught Elijah: It is not His way to go around shaking mountains all the time! This is easy to overlook if you are arrogant and don’t want to listen to a still, small voice” (Royal Vision, March-April 2017).

Correction

What parent isn’t pleased when a child responds to correction delivered in a still small voice? Ideally a child is attentive to a parent’s voice and responds immediately to the quietest of commands. How wonderful if that were all that was required to govern a child’s behavior! It is when a child is less responsiveness that a parent must employ sterner measures.

God too is a parent. How easy is it for Him to correct what we are doing through a still small voice? Often, God will use our Bible study, messages in Sabbath services, Church literature and Christian fellowship to correct us. It is gentle at first, and it will remain so if we respond promptly.

We will realize and respond to correction in its most delicate form if we are looking for it. “God tells Christ what to do, and He follows it precisely,” Mr. Hilliker continued. “He sits before His Father and says, Teach me. I want to learn, so I’ll know what to teach others. This is what it means to be childlike. It is a perfect
attitude! It has to be the most exquisitely beautiful attitude of all!” (op cit).

Eagerly ask God to show you where you need to change and improve. Eagerly act on what God shows you. If we don’t listen, God will increase the intensity of His correction. We all have had problems grow because we didn’t listen attentively. We all have regrets for times we didn’t respond faster.

Get God’s view on correction. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. … Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Hebrews 12:6, 11).

Does God need an earthquake, thunder, lightning or smoke to reach you? Or can He guide you, direct you, lead you, and lovingly correct you by His still small voice? That voice is there. Are you listening?