God presented me with a lesson I must learn now before circumstances get worse.

When the Lord used Elijah on Mount Carmel (1Kings 18), Elijah felt the strength and power of God. He had asked God to bring fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice, which He did. When Elijah asked God to bring rain, He did. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, he ran for twenty miles to the gates of Jezreel.

Exhausted, Elijah lay down to sleep. It wasn’t long before a messenger arrived to inform him, Queen Jezebel was out to kill him. So, off to the races went Elijah until he reached a cave on Mount Horeb. That is where the Lord met him with a question. What are you doing here, Elijah?

Elijah thought he knew the answer until the Lord began His “show and tell.” A great and powerful wind tore apart what was considered established and unmovable.  He then sent an earthquake that rattled Elijah’s foundation, followed by fire. The fire of affliction and strife which God claimed not to be a part of came last.

God is not in the vacillating winds of this world blowing me off course. He is not in the earth-shattering events rocking and unsettling my mind. In the fires of hatred, division, power-mongering, and lack of empathy running wild, I will not find Him.

I will find Him at the moment I allow Him to speak to my spirit. When I pull away from the chaotic noise around me and lift my eyes to what is eternal, the Lord can and will rain peace in place of the noise the world produces. His still, small voice transforms the confused and tumultuous into rest.

God did not want Elijah to be overcome by what seemed to be his reality. My God’s stunning love speaks to me in quiet tones. My reality is not here. I have been chosen, as well as you, for this moment. Let not the noise of this world overcome you.