When Jezebel threatened Elijah’s life, he fled to a cave. And that’s when God said to him: ‘“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…Elijah heard it’ (vv. 11-13 NKJV). God can speak to you anywhere, anytime, through anybody, in any situation. But often, He’ll share His greatest insights when you’re alone with Him. In order to hear God’s ‘still small voice’, two things must happen: 1) You must have silence and solitude. This calls for shutting out everything else and focusing on God. Not everyone will understand or appreciate what you’re doing, but the privilege of hearing from God can help you stay strong when faced with misunderstanding or opposition. 2) You must get close to Him. Think about how often you get messages and notifications popping up on your phone. We’re willing to take the time to stop and listen to what others have to say, but most people don’t seem as willing to do the same for God. Imagine the possibilities if you made up your mind to try and spend as much time checking in with God as you spend checking your phone! The songwriter Everett W. Sugg put it this way: ‘Shut in with God in a secret place, There in the Spirit beholding His face, Gaining more power to run in this race, Oh, I long to be shut in with God.’
