His quiet and gentle voice

You know what I love about God? If we are still and we wait on Him, He will show us great things. In our church, we've been talking a lot lately about the supernatural, but more in the sort of BIG things that God does. Things that WOW us because they are so out of the natural, that they are in fact supernatural. But all along I have felt in my heart that we miss the point when we are always looking for God to do something BIG.

Do I believe that God does things big? Absolutely! But I think that is the exception and not the rule. I am reminded of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. God wasn't in the big things, He spoke to Elijah in a gentle and quiet whisper. I think daily God is calling us to a deeper relationship with Him. And sometimes, yes, it is in something awesome that He does to get our attention. But I believe that daily God is speaking to us in a gentle and quiet whisper. The only way you can hear a whisper is you have to be still. I believe it is the daily times that God is calling me to "Be still and know that He is God!" It is in those moments of quiet obedience that He also moves supernaturally. Because in those moments, He is shaping my heart into the image of Christ and boy is that a supernatural act!!!

Over the summer, I had been having a conflict with someone I love dearly. This had been going on for years and I could not quite put my finger on what was going on, but it seemed like that there was something going on underneath the conversations and interactions we were having. There were days I had cried about the relationship, days I had screamed in frustration venting to myself, "How dare you? You don't know me. You don't know anything about me." There were days my heart hurt because I wanted the relationship restored, but I felt like it was out of my hands, or maybe it was just easier to walk away.

And in one of those days of praying to God and seeking His guidance, I asked Him what I should do. Was reconciliation possible? I was ready to give up. And God in His quiet and gentle voice moved me from the natural to the supernatural. First, He spoke to me in a devotional about the reunion of Jacob and Esau. Now, mind you, I was not doing a Bible Study on them. I was not even looking for what God's Word said about reconciliation. I just prayed and He answered. And as soon as I read that devotional, I knew that God was telling me that there was hope. That no matter how long it took, I was not to give up. I was to trust Him to redeem the past.

This week, I had an encounter with the person again. And they shared with me some hurts and we just talked honestly. And again, I heard God's quiet and gentle voice say to me, "With me all things are possible." And with that confirmation, I knew that God had started us on the road to reconciliation.

And then I was reminded of this season, where we celebrate the birth of the Savior. But not only a Savior, but a Redeemer. Jesus came to earth that we might be reconciled to the Father. And there is no greater mystery, than the mystery of grace, God's amazing grace. That the God of the universe would choose to save an unrightous sinner. That He would choose me and call me His own. And that He would entrust to me the message of His Gospel to save the world. He lavishly pours on His grace, grace upon grace.

So yes, I am looking forward to see what God does in this relationship. I know full well that it is not me. In my flesh, I was ready to walk away. But it is God's Spirit at work in me, daily conforming me to be more like His Son. That's pretty supernatural to me!

He keeps His promises. So my encouragement to you today. Cease striving. Be still and listen for His quiet and gentle voice. And don't lose hope. God is still redeeming, still restoring broken things, still giving life to those things in our life that are dead. This Christmas, BELIEVE it. He has sent the Savior, Immanuel, God with us. And truly through Him ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!