Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” --1 Kings 19: 11-13 (NKJV)
This is the story of Elijah. Before this happened, Elijah spent some time in the wilderness, prayed to God to take his life, and then spent forty days on the strength of one meal. In the depths of his soul, Elijah was distraught. At the end of forty days, Elijah spent the night in a cave, and in the morning, God showed Elijah the wind, the earthquake and the fire, before he spoke to him in a still small voice. I can only imagine that Elijah must have been seeking a word, or a sign from God, probably in some dramatic way such as these natural movements. But God gave Elijah his word in a still small voice.
A still small voice.
I am writing to the Christian who, no matter where you go, or what you do, cannot shake that still small voice. That still small voice that doesn’t speak with dramatic signs, but that whispers, quietly whispers “What are you doing here, child?” I am speaking to the Christian who, through life’s circumstances, has spent some time in the wilderness, retreating to a cave—a place where perhaps you needed to go for a time, but a place you are not meant to remain, hidden away, away from the light of the job God has for you.
Dear sister or brother in Christ, are you one who can not shake the still small voice within you? The voice that says, “What are you doing here? I have something for you to do. I have a purpose beyond this cave, beyond this wilderness you’ve been in, a purpose that only begins when you take the first step out.” If this is you, then this message is for you. It is time to take that first step. God has big plans for you. Life-changing plans. And those plans begin when you do what Elijah did: go out and stand in the entrance of your cave. Go out into the light and look to see what is going on.
I am writing to you, sibling in Christ. But I am also writing to myself. For I am one of those Christians who has retreated to the wilderness. But I did not retreat there alone; God has always been with me. He has been strengthening me, teaching me. For some time, God has been urging me to step out into the light, to begin my own ministry. For as Christians, we are all called to do something. My ministry is to Christians like me—Christians who can not shake that still small voice and know there is more God wants them to do. My ministry is to Christians like you who are not quite ready to step out, but need more nurturing, more growth in Christ. My stepping out looks like this: this website where I hope to give you encouragement, any guidance I’m able to give, and love and acceptance of you right where you are, because that’s exactly how God has loved me.
I hope you join me on this journey.
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