Life swirled completely unexpectedly around us. Our best prayed over, most faith-filled plans were unraveling in front of us. And not only in front of us, but publicly too. As a ministry couple much of life is lived openly, for all to see, ponder and comment on. Many questioned, “What in the world is God doing with you guys?” Truth was, I had no idea.
I knew God was good and faithful. Even though life wasn’t adding up the way we thought it would when we took that leap of faith, we were still confident that God had brought us to this place and His faithfulness would shine through. But in the meantime, our hearts were raw and weary. As time went on and His plan moved us in a new direction, we witnessed His goodness, but still, people asked (and my heart begged to know), “What was God doing?”
Enough difficult seasons, emptied hopes and disappointments piled on my heart and faith for me to have a desperate need to figure this thing out with God. What did He want from me? How was I supposed to understand and respond to all these different pieces of our life-puzzle?
I felt like Jacob wrestling; I wanted to be still, but this heaviness of heart seemed to find no relief than to sweat it out with the Lord. Finally, I heard His answer. An answer that echoed His reply to another soul-weary servant, Elijah:
So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking 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. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13 NAS
I continually set my eyes on the winds, earthquake, and fire, trying to understand God in them, but He wasn’t in them. He was in the gentle blowing. Sometimes He comes in great thunderous storms, but often, those storms are the result of a fallen world, broken choices and just “life.” I couldn’t understand what He was saying to me through those circumstances because while He was sovereign over them, they weren’t His mouthpieces.
I was so relieved to understand that He wasn’t punishing me for something I couldn’t figure out, or that perhaps He had just decided to lift His hand of blessing and protection off of me for a season. He was there the whole time, speaking in a gentle wind. It was simply my job to lift my eyes from the ravages of the earthquake and fire to set them firmly on my Father’s face. Then the wrestling in my heart would quiet.
How often do we mis-attribute the storms, fires and earthquakes to the Father, when He’s not speaking to us in them? Sometimes, we think the Lord isn’t gentle because we ascribe all the harshness of life to His hand. He is sovereign over our lives and does use circumstances to get our attention, but I think many times I’ve wanted so badly not to miss His voice that I’ve received almost every circumstance as if it was a message from the Lord.
Zephaniah 3:17 says that God’s love quiets our souls and that He sings over us with joy; I imagine, like a gentle lullaby. If you’ve been straining to hear your Father’s voice in the earthquakes and fires of life, I pray that you would hear His gentle song over your heart.
The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV
Mic says
“Sometimes we think the Lord isn’t gentle because we ascribe all of the harshness of life to His hand.” Wow. That single statement was life changing. thank you!
April says
Thank you for your sweet comment, Mic! Praising the Lord for the way He is revealing Himself to you <3 May you hear His love song over you <3
Ernie Vegas says
I think it is an interesting article not only because if its main topic, but because it makes a reference to the spiritual gift of hearing. Something you don’t hear people talk about that much.
It’s good to see people still talk about hearing His voice.
ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH OF EAST LOS ANGELES
http://www.assumptionchurchlosangeles.webstarts.com/
karyn says
O this is perfect and I love this verse. We are studying Pneumatology and in the midst of the storm, we are in the fiery furnace with JESUS like in Daniel. In the midst of the still still peace as the storm rages around us but never really touching us as we are protected by JESUS’ Presence. The Holy Spirit. Our Father in heaven.
Perfect for my study tonight.
🙂
April says
Praying the Lord’s continued peace through all your storms. Thank you for your comments & blessings on your theological studies 🙂
Mary Ellen says
Love this. Years ago I jotted down Dennis Jernigan’s paraphrase with this same scripture:
The Eternal, Self-existent God, the God who is three in One, He who dwells in the center of your being, is a powerful, valiant warrior. He has come to set you free, to keep you safe and to bring you victory. He is cheered and beams with joy and takes pleasure in your presence. He has engraved a place for Himself in you, and there He quietly rests in His love and affection for you. He cannot contain Himself at the thought of you, and with the greatest of joy, spins around wildly with anticipation over you. He has placed you above all other creations and in the highest place in His priorities. In fact, He shouts and sings in triumph joyfully proclaiming the gladness of His heart in a song of rejoicing, all because of you.
Isn’t that beautiful. May you continue to experience His love.
April says
That IS beautiful! Thank you for sharing! I’m going to have to look up that song of his 🙂 May you hear the Lord’s sweet delight over you today <3
Sarah says
Thank you. This was confirmation of what I’ve been feeling myself today – that God is love. Sometimes we can get so caught up in what’s going on and whether we’re doing it right that we can forget His delight in us.
April says
Praying for you to experience an extra dose of the Lord’s love and presence today <3 Thank you for your sweet comments.
Kristy Byers says
I think sometimes it’s easier to see God in the storm, earthquake or fire. It is harder to see him when he is gently speaking to us. I guess if we learned to listened and find God in the gentle, the quiet or even the normal then he might not have to use as many storms or earthquakes or fires to get us to listen. But we won’t. We are human. We seem to need an explanation for “just life”. But I have found that it’s in those moments when we “find Him”, before the earthquakes and the fires are the most tender, loving, sacred moments with Him. Thanks for reminding me of that.
April says
Thank you for your comments! It’s true that while God speaks through gentle circumstances, He also uses storms to get our attention too. He is faithful to complete the good work He started in us, even when it requires some intense measures. May His gentleness and graciousness wrap around you in a special way today.
jan says
Thankyou. Lovely post. One of my treasured verses. Love the picture if the Lord singing over us as a mother/father sings with delight and also to calm a child xx it is a picture of such tenderness. And shies Gods father/mother heart for us especially in the midst if life’s storms when we can feel like a frightened child ,jan xx
April says
I’m so glad we share a treasured verse 🙂 It is indeed a beautiful picture–one I’m not sure I will ever be able to fully comprehend. We are wildly loved by our Lord! May you hear His love song over you <3
Liz says
Thank you for this. It is so nice to be reminded to listen for the whisper. I am so thankful that no matter what is going on, HE is in complete control of my life.
April says
Amen, sister! Thank you for your sweet comments! May the Lord’s love and grace tangibly surround you today <3
Marisa Slusarcyk says
I love this, thank you for pointing out what should be obvious! It is so easy to forget and focus on the bad when God is ONLY Good!
April says
Yes! Our God is GOOD! Praying His grace, love and goodness to surround your precious heart today in a special way <3
Dottie says
so good… that verse is like salve for the soul. And it’s on my wall, and I forget it… thanks for the reminder not to fix our eyes on the storms, fires and earthquakes, but on His face, and let our souls be quieted by His love.
April says
Thank you for your sweet comments! May the Lord stir your heart and mind to remember the precious love note on your wall and in His word <3 Blessings, sister!
LisAnne says
I have been really struggling with circumstances in my life. My world and everything including my children, has been turned upside down. I too have been struggling to find God in this. I am encouraged to know I’m not being punished by my Father. I will now find Him in that soft gentle breeze.
April says
Hi Lisanne! I am praying for you today. I’m sorry to hear of the turmoil in your life right now. May the Lord’s love, graciousness and goodness shine through even these hard times and may you quickly see them turn to something meant for you good and God’s glory <3
Bev Brandon @A String of Pearls says
April, you have a beautiful voice. You open your mouth and God fills it with Himself. Psalm 81:10. Those deep dark places—spaces God has filled. Your words stir something deep in me. My life has not turned out like I thought it would. But better, much grander, than these circumstances in which I sit is what I have found. I’ve found God in the midst of all these rough patches that hurt more than I can say. A still small Voice saying Isaiah 30:20-21. Thank you for shedding Light along the way.
April says
Thank you for your sweet words! I’m praising the Lord with you that your life has yielded to the Potter’s hand to become something different than what you expected, but far more beautiful! May God’s grace and love hold you close to His heart through all the circumstances of life <3
Sabra Penley says
This verse from Zephaniah came to my attention by a friend when iI was facing an overwhelming storm in my life last year. And “God’s lullaby” is exactly what I remembered thinking. God is so good. And He is always with me. Watching over me. Holding me in His gentle, loving, yet ever so strong hands. Thank you for this message, April.
April says
Thank you for your sweet comments <3 May you always heart the Lord's love song over you!
Mindy says
Awesome! The LORD is so gracious and full of mercy to meet us in these places of struggle and give us answers to our questions. HE IS in the midst of every circumstance and step of this life whether in difficult, trying times or celebrating, happy times. His promises are true! Amen!
Thank you for sharing. 😉 Praise to our LORD the great I AM!
April says
Amen! Thank you for your sweet words! May God’s grace and mercy surround you today in a special way, sister <3
Esther says
Words to a sweet song: Little flowers never worry, when the wind begins to blow……and they never ever cry when the’re tossing to and fro….so let it rain, let it rain, let it pour… Let ol’e trouble keep a knocking at my door… For if it never ever rained, then we’d never ever grow”
April says
I missed that song some where along the way, but I love the thoughts in it! Thank you for sharing! Blessings <3
Margi says
Thank you your message has inspired me to see the Father as soft & loving in the midst of my storm, I sometimes feel I’m being punished.
April says
Praying for you today! May the Lord’s love and graciousness hold you tightly through this storm.
Beth Williams says
Margi,
Prayers for peace and contentment. May God swoop down & give you hugs & loving kisses to show you He is there and loves you!
Beth Williams says
I am always amazed at the words of Zephaniah. It is hard to imagine God rejoicing over me with gladness and singing.
Life for me has not turned out any way like I had planned. I’ve stumbled, fell down/gotten back up-but through all the crisis God was there wooing me quieting my heart. There are many times in life when we wonder why God has us where we are–why not some other place that might make us happy or more content–but he has his reasons. Perhaps there is a lesson to learn–patience & contentment in all circumstances. He may be trying to get us to focus more on Him than on the circumstances around us.
Blessings 🙂
Leslie says
Blessed be the name of The Lord. I am so thankful that at age 9 I trusted The Lord to be my Savior and Lord. He has been in my life daily ever since. My Daddy loves me and has protected me, His kindness and grace are overwhelming at times. I am so undeserving of all He has done. Perfection, NO … Preservation, yes. Truly God has preserved my going out and my coming in. My favorite passage is Psalm 139, verses 1-6 especially, and 7-14, this chapter holds all the richness of God’s heart for us. And another phrase, “My. Beloved is mine and I am His.” His love speaks to my heart & soul.
Thanks for your beautiful post.