The Little Things

11 So He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by, and a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, [there was] an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, [there was] a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, [there was] the sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard the sound, he wrapped his face in his mantle (cloak) 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 AMP).

What’s so significant about this Scripture is that the prophet Elijah was going through a stressful period in his life. He was on the run from Queen Jezebel, who sought to end his life. Out in the wilderness, he felt scared and abandoned because he believed he was the only one left of the Lord’s servants.

Then, something great happened: the Lord commanded Elijah to stand on the mountain. A great and powerful wind came through, but the Lord wasn’t there. A great earthquake occurred, but the Lord wasn’t there. A great fire appeared, but the Lord wasn’t there. Instead, the Lord came in a gentle, still voice and ministered to the prophet.

See, brothers and sisters, in life, you will have stressful and trying periods. So much so that you may begin to entertain thoughts and feelings that you’ve been abandoned, forgotten, and that there is no need to go on. All you seem to do is focus on the negative. I know the feeling because I have been there far too many times.

However, in the midst of the chaos, there is a stillness, a quiet whisper, that if you’re not careful, you’ll miss it. In the stillness, you’ll experience the Lord’s love, peace, and protection. For the Lord says, “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 AMP).

Whatever you are going through or have gone through, don’t get distracted by the negative. Instead, stop and pay attention to the little things. You will see that, even in those little things, the Lord sees you and cares for you.