Have you ever stood alone outside and all is quiet except a gentle breeze upon your face? There are times when I feel that light wind delicately streaming across my forehead and cheeks and it feels like the whisper of the Spirit of God. A gentle touch reminding me of God’s presence.
It makes me think of 1 Kings 19:12, “After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.” In this passage Elijah has fled Jezebel and arrived at Horeb, “the mountain of God (8).” There, he has taken refuge in a cave, convinced he is the only one still faithful to God (10).
Ever feel like you’re all alone in your faith in Jesus? You feel abandoned and wonder why people are actively attacking you and your faith. It feels like you’re in the wilderness, seeking refuge in a cave. In that moment of solitude you feel that gentle breeze blowing across your face.
God spoke to Elijah in that cave, telling him, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD (11).” There God passed by, but not in the strong wind, earthquake, or fire. God was in the “sound of a gentle blowing (12).” In that quiet, gentle moment, God speaks to him, directing him on what to do next. He tells him that he is not alone, that there are 7,000 who have not bowed to Baal (18).
In the depths of your loneliness, your discouragement, God is not in the loud noises around you, but in the gentle whisper. Quiet your soul and your fears, listen to what God has to say to you.
© 2026, Chris G. Thelen
140 Character Christian 