When God Whispers

I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways. Psalm 85:8 NLT

It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.  Lamentations 3:26  BSB

You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 NASB 1977

Our youngest granddaughter often speaks in a near whisper. Her soft, sweet, voice forces me to lean in and listen intently or I’ll miss what she’s saying. It may be that she wants to impress us with her latest Crayola creation or she might be asking Grandma to make popcorn, it takes intentional, purposefully listening to know for sure. Of course, some of our grandkids are quite the opposite, their near shouts have no trouble being heard and understood!

In human communication, when we’re faced with a whisperer, we usually quiet ourselves, lean in and even cup our hands to our ears to glean every word. There are times our Heavenly Father “whispers.” Purposefully. It seems He uses what I call spiritual whispering as a means to draw our hearts to seek Him. When we can barely hear, we naturally draw closer and lean in more intently. When it’s God’s voice and Presence that appears silent or in a bear whisper, this motivates us to slow down, quiet ourselves, and seek Him as we listen for His voice found in His Word.

In addition to whispering, there are times when we hear nothing but silence. Oswald Chambers put it this way, “God’s silence is not a sign of abandonment but a sign of trust, inviting a deeper, more intimate understanding of Himself.” He suggests that when God is silent, He is not absent, but is instead preparing an individual for a greater revelation and strengthening their faith through quiet trust. Will I trust Him and His Word even when I hear nothing but crickets?

Yes, there are times when God’s voice shouts loudly through His Word, His people and circumstances – like a few of our grandkiddos that shall remain nameless – so that we have no trouble “hearing” His voice. But often, we encounter silence or a faint whisper. It’s at those times that He’s encouraging us to seek Him and lean in by getting alone, reading His Word and then trusting. Whether silence or a whisper, He has purpose in it.

“Sometimes when I open my Bible to read, a verse leaps off the page and I know God is speaking to me. Sometimes I read and nothing seems to be illuminated. Sometimes I pray and have the keen sense that He is listening to every word and will answer me. Sometimes when I pray, I have no awareness that He’s anywhere around. Sometimes when I go to church or draw aside for some quiet reflection, I have the overwhelming sense that Jesus is right beside me. At other times in the exact same settings, I have no conscious awareness of His presence at all. And I know by each experience — as I read my Bible and pray and work and worship — that He is teaching me to live by FAITH, not by my feelings.”

― Anne Graham Lotz

Father, You are worth all the time and effort it takes to slow down, seek You and listen for Your Voice. As we seek You, You have promised to be found by us. Thank you! In Jesus might name I pray. Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus.

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