“And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” — 1 Kings 19:12-13 (ESV)

Someone once asked Joan of Arc why God spoke only to her. She responded, “Sir, you are wrong. God speaks to everyone. I just listen.”

When God spoke to Samuel, it was as the boy lay down quietly in the middle of the night. Even then, Samuel did not at first recognize that the voice belonged to God. He needed the wisdom of his experienced mentor, Eli, to understand who was communicating with him. But based on how often Samuel heard God’s voice as an adult, it’s clear that he did learn to identify, listen to, and obey God’s voice.

We are often very busy people. And we can easily get caught up in the activities of our obligations. Whatever you are involved in, that’s why it’s important to set aside time to quiet yourself and listen for God’s direction. As author and minister Bill Hybels says, (we) “need to ask God to give us Samuel’s ear.”

Short but engaging thoughts, what do you think?

Thoughts from reading “The 21 Most Powerful Minutes in a Leader’s Day” by John C. Maxwell (Leadership Promises For every Day). — via Ken Darnell