A Still Small Voice

And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the first a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:12

It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord directs and redirects his children. I have been walking with Him for a long time, and he has certainly done it in my life many times. Of course, I can't help but wish that it was still even more as that I no doubt have not heeded his attempts as often or as quickly as I would have liked. I am hard headed and too driven at times to slow down to watch and listen. 

That being said though, He has still been able to get my attention in spite of me. I have found that He uses three things in the process routinely: joy, circumstances, and others. Let me explain. In regards to joy. I have found that the first thing that departs when God is redirecting is my joy. Of course, this is when I inevitably begin to dig my heels in and "rebuke the devil in the name of Jesus." My determination kicks in and I start looking for ways to "overcome" whatever it is that I think is at the heart of stealing my joy. 

In regards to circumstances, the dictionary says that they are "existing conditions or state of affairs surrounding or affecting an agent." The bottom line is that things began to take a change. Not usually suddenly, but instead very subtly. Things just don't fit as easily together as they used to. There is an uneasiness that sets in that is not readily identifiable, but no less as real as the air that I am breathing.

Finally, in regards to others. It never fails that God begins to speak into my life by the mouths of others. Not totally sure that they are aware that He is doing it, but it happens. Many times, it is just a comment or an action that doesn't go unnoticed that literally screams that God is behind it speaking ever so softly. 

And yes, He is doing it even now.