By Tracie Miles
"A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it.” Job 4:12 (NIV)
If only I had called her.
If only I had listened to that little voice in my head that nudged me to call her several times over the past few months. Although we were casual acquaintances whose paths did not cross very often, I still considered her a friend and a dear sister in Christ. She had been fighting cancer for years, but had recently been in remission and in good health. More than a year had passed since we had spoken, but we would still smile and wave at each other at church.
For several weeks recently, this friend kept coming to mind. I had felt God laying her on my heart, and I kept intending to call her, but would get busy and forget. Then I arrived at church one Sunday morning, only to read the shocking news that she had passed away. I was stunned. I had seen her fairly recently, buzzing around the sanctuary, and she looked great, but now she was gone. Now it was too late to call her. The door of opportunity to hear her kind voice had slammed shut. If only I had listened to that inner voice of the Holy Spirit prompting me to pick up the phone to call and check on her. I was unaware that she was sick again, but God knew.
If only I had stopped whatever I was doing, and taken just a few minutes to let her know I was thinking of her. I was unaware of her need to be remembered, but God knew.
If only I had called her, and let her know how her unshakable joy had impacted my walk with God. I was unaware of her need for encouragement, but God knew.
Tears filled my eyes as I considered not only the loss of this sweet, precious woman, but my own remorse for not listening to God’s whispers to my heart. God’s ways are not our ways, as we are told in Isaiah 55:8, and I have learned through this experience to always listen to the quietest of voices, and recognize that this voice is holy.
I now understand that when I suddenly feel the need to call someone whom I haven’t thought of, spoken to, or seen in months or even years, that it may be God Himself whispering to my heart. When I have an urge to tell someone I love them, even though I am sure they already know it, God is whispering to my heart. When I find myself dropping by to visit someone in the hospital that I don’t know well or possibly do not them at all, God is whispering to my heart.
God knows what His children need, and He uses each of us to meet those needs. Just because we don’t have all the answers yet, or do not know why God is prompting us to do a certain thing, doesn’t mean we should ignore the whisper. His ways are not our ways... but His way is the best way... and the necessary way.
When I learned of my friend's passing, I made a commitment to myself and to God that I will never again ignore even the tiniest, quietest whisper from the Holy Spirit. I will pray for discernment and whether He tells me to make a big sacrifice, or simply make a phone call, my hope is that I will step out in faith and obey, without delay.
If God has been whispering to you about someone or something, listen to those whispers. Don't discount them. Pray for discernment and be willing to take action, even if you don't fully understand the reason yet. Unfortunately, the consequence of not listening to those whispers, could result in you having to say, "If only …" just like me.
Have you heard His whisper?
Dear Lord, forgive me for not listening to Your voice. Help me to recognize your activity in my heart, and act promptly on the commands you speak to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer
For more encouragement about this topic, visit Tracie Miles’ blog
Reinventing Your Rainbow by Tracie Miles
Application Steps:
If you have heard a whisper to your spirit lately, did you consider that it could be God speaking?
Reflections:
Has God whispered the name of someone for you to call today?
Has He prompted you to be obedient in a small way, or even a big way, that you have yet to act on?
Power Verses:
Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (NIV)
© 2008 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.
"A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it.” Job 4:12 (NIV)
If only I had called her.
If only I had listened to that little voice in my head that nudged me to call her several times over the past few months. Although we were casual acquaintances whose paths did not cross very often, I still considered her a friend and a dear sister in Christ. She had been fighting cancer for years, but had recently been in remission and in good health. More than a year had passed since we had spoken, but we would still smile and wave at each other at church.
For several weeks recently, this friend kept coming to mind. I had felt God laying her on my heart, and I kept intending to call her, but would get busy and forget. Then I arrived at church one Sunday morning, only to read the shocking news that she had passed away. I was stunned. I had seen her fairly recently, buzzing around the sanctuary, and she looked great, but now she was gone. Now it was too late to call her. The door of opportunity to hear her kind voice had slammed shut. If only I had listened to that inner voice of the Holy Spirit prompting me to pick up the phone to call and check on her. I was unaware that she was sick again, but God knew.
If only I had stopped whatever I was doing, and taken just a few minutes to let her know I was thinking of her. I was unaware of her need to be remembered, but God knew.
If only I had called her, and let her know how her unshakable joy had impacted my walk with God. I was unaware of her need for encouragement, but God knew.
Tears filled my eyes as I considered not only the loss of this sweet, precious woman, but my own remorse for not listening to God’s whispers to my heart. God’s ways are not our ways, as we are told in Isaiah 55:8, and I have learned through this experience to always listen to the quietest of voices, and recognize that this voice is holy.
I now understand that when I suddenly feel the need to call someone whom I haven’t thought of, spoken to, or seen in months or even years, that it may be God Himself whispering to my heart. When I have an urge to tell someone I love them, even though I am sure they already know it, God is whispering to my heart. When I find myself dropping by to visit someone in the hospital that I don’t know well or possibly do not them at all, God is whispering to my heart.
God knows what His children need, and He uses each of us to meet those needs. Just because we don’t have all the answers yet, or do not know why God is prompting us to do a certain thing, doesn’t mean we should ignore the whisper. His ways are not our ways... but His way is the best way... and the necessary way.
When I learned of my friend's passing, I made a commitment to myself and to God that I will never again ignore even the tiniest, quietest whisper from the Holy Spirit. I will pray for discernment and whether He tells me to make a big sacrifice, or simply make a phone call, my hope is that I will step out in faith and obey, without delay.
If God has been whispering to you about someone or something, listen to those whispers. Don't discount them. Pray for discernment and be willing to take action, even if you don't fully understand the reason yet. Unfortunately, the consequence of not listening to those whispers, could result in you having to say, "If only …" just like me.
Have you heard His whisper?
Dear Lord, forgive me for not listening to Your voice. Help me to recognize your activity in my heart, and act promptly on the commands you speak to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer
For more encouragement about this topic, visit Tracie Miles’ blog
Reinventing Your Rainbow by Tracie Miles
Application Steps:
If you have heard a whisper to your spirit lately, did you consider that it could be God speaking?
Reflections:
Has God whispered the name of someone for you to call today?
Has He prompted you to be obedient in a small way, or even a big way, that you have yet to act on?
Power Verses:
Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (NIV)
© 2008 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.
7 Comments:
Yes, I have had this same exact experience. I am greatly grieved because I didn't obey God's voice. Forgive me, Lord, and help me to follow the promptings of your Holy Spirit right away. Never let me be too busy to follow the direction of Your still small Voice. I thank you and praise you for your patience with me.
I thank God for his tiny whispers and even his shouts! I pray that we will not ignore his works for us and that we be willing to take that step of faith for him. We need to remember to listen with our hearts-NOT just our ears! Sometimes there is a block between the two. Use me God as you see fit for me put one foot in front of the other towards your direction.
I too have had the same experience. As I look back I believe it was fear that prevented me from calling her. I was afraid of getting close and then getting hurt if God took her home. But I realized my mistake when I attended her funeral. People talked of how she had journaled her walk with God in this battle for life and shared it with her friends. God's glory was visible on her face and how she responded to this ultimate trial. I missed out on seeing God at work, blessing her and being blessed in return. My prayer is that I will respond with obedience next time I hear Him whisper someone's name.
I had this experience, when I lost my grandfather. I had felt God nudging me to call him for months, and try to bring him to reconciliation, over something that was so silly - that the thought of dealing with it drained me... and i would refuse - over & over again. I made excuses to God: I was busy, it was silly, he'd realize it was ridiculous & would get over it. God even caused me to dial his number on accident, one morning, on the way to work. I went so far as to say I had the wrong number, hoping he wouldn't recognize my voice. (I certainly couldn't get into it, right now. I was hurrying to work. I don't know this irrational version of my grandpa - and I don't want to.) Not only was I in full blown rebellion to God, I lost the last chance to try to get my grandfather to give his life to Christ.
...and then i got the call that he was gone, just a few short weeks later. It was totally unexpected - by us. God knew. God had tried to get me to bring my grandfather to reconciliation - not just with family, but with Him. It was too late. I have never felt the loss of a person more. He truly was lost, and I did not throw him the life preserver, for what? - because it might have been difficult, time-consuming, uncomfortable? I can't express how much this has affected me. Now, when someone is on my mind, I try to be diligent, and call or write or pray - or all of the above. I've actually been thinking of someone regularly, for the past few days. I will make it a point to call her today.
thank you, I've been hearing the Lord to visit this 1 lady for a week now, after I read today devotion, it just make me realize that I better do it now before it's too late, and I did :) on the way visiting her, I kept thinking bout what I am doing, and make me realize and encourages me more to obey the voice of the Spirit so that I may be pleasing to Him and glorify Him. It's important to obey , either make sense or not make sense, either a big or small thing that He wants us to , it isnt the matter of small or big, it's the obedience that He request of us
i've experienced this when a sister from church who was going through cancer treatment in december last year. god asked me to give her a card with the verse isaiah 43:4 and wrote a message that whenever she wanted to hear him whisper in her ear the word "i love you" just meditate on the verse. she told me how she was doubting the love of god for her and his word confirmed how much god loves her. :)
the other day, i was driving when a small voice told me to stop and check before i proceed to get out of the alley, i noticed a white car that could have hit me if i didn't stop. :)
there were times i didn't listen to that small voice and i told myself that i should have listened. practice makes perfect! :)
Thank you for this reminder and push for me to obey God's whispers. I have just written a card to a friend, just now with this devotion still up on my computer.
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