A still small voice (1 Kings 19:12)

Picture description: Elijah
Picture copyright: Daniele da Volterra / public domain

bible verse

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (1Kings 19:12)

origin and application

Elijah is a prophet who has been very zealous for the Lord. As dedicated as he is, he still suffers from emotional setbacks. While he was persecuted by Jezebel, the queen of Israel, he retreated into a cave and spent the night there. God sought him out, and asked him to go out and stand on the mountain to see the Lord pass by. So he stood, and a great wind tore apart the mountains and rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind was the earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the quake was the fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. Then came a still small voice from the Lord that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
From the story above, we see that whenever we seek God’s guidance, God may not appear in thunders or something big as we thought. Rather, God may guide us through a still, small voice that whispers in our quiet time.