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. — 1 Kings 19:11 (NKJV) |
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The wilderness is rarely where we expect to meet God. |
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It's a place of quiet. Of waiting. Of being stripped down to what is essential. And yet, again and again in Scripture, the wilderness becomes the place where God speaks most clearly. Elijah fled into the wilderness exhausted and discouraged. He had seen God move powerfully before—but now, alone and uncertain, he discovered that God was not found in the dramatic signs he expected. God met him instead in a gentle whisper. Many of us know that feeling. You may find yourself in a season that feels uncertain, quiet, or unsteady—where clarity hasn't come through big answers or obvious signs. Lent invites us to resist the urge to fill that silence, and instead to listen. |
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Your limitations, your weariness, your unanswered questions—these are not barriers to God's work. They are invitations to rely on His strength. Lent teaches us to look honestly at our lives, not to despair, but to remember that our hope is never in our own durability. It is in the One who renews us day by day. |
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A closer look at the still small voice |
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This insight reminds us that God's presence is not limited to the spectacular. Often, His guidance comes quietly—heard only when we slow down enough to listen. As you reflect this week, you might carry these questions with you: |
- Where in my life right now do I feel like I am "in the wilderness"—uncertain, stripped down, or alone?
- How might God be using this wilderness space to speak, refine, or redirect me?
- What practices of silence, retreat, or simplicity could help me listen more attentively to God in this season?
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As you return to Scripture this season, reading with understanding can help you notice what you might otherwise miss. Trusted study notes and commentary can gently guide you as you listen more closely to God's Word—right in the passages you're already reading. With Bible Gateway Plus, trusted study tools appear beside Scripture, helping you slow down, reflect, and listen with clarity. |
Go deeper in your study, one verse at a time. |
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