“‘Go out and stand before Me on the mountain,’ the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire was the sound of a gentle whisper. ” 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NLT)
Much bravado is sometimes just that — much bravado. A lot of wind, a lot of noise, a lot of disruption, but little real meaning and value. The Lord is not in it. Whether it’s bravado in words or gestures or even action, bravado is often a cover for little real substance. The Lord is not in it.
The Lord desires for us to move past the bravado in all things. The Lord speaks most often in a whisper. Will you wait for it?
Life change rarely occurs with bravado. It occurs instead with steady, quiet determination. It’s not the person who makes the giant New Years Resolution or buys all the hottest & latest equipment that changes his life. It’s the person who shows up at the gym everyday and gives what she has that day, & then shows up again tomorrow. It’s the person who sees and celebrates his own small victories, changing even his internal dialogue. It’s the person who sees past the bravado and listens for the whisper … and keeps listening for the whisper … the whisper of God drawing closer and deeper and more completely.
Exercise is my inner sanctuary, where I listen for the whisper of God. His Spirit, my breath. His voice, my hands. His strength, my movement. It’s where all the outer noise begins to dissipate, and I can focus better on the whisper.
The Lord desires for us to move past the bravado in all things. The Lord speaks most often in a whisper. Will you wait for it?
