The Whisper Within: Honoring God's Voice in Your Spirit

"The mind is like the wind and the body like the sand; if you want to know which way the wind is blowing, you can look at the sand." - Yung Pueblo

In the summer of 2016, I stood at a crossroads that would change everything. Delaware called to me – a whisper so faint yet undeniable, like that gentle voice Elijah heard not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, but in the stillness that followed (1 Kings 19:11-13). Those closest to me questioned the wisdom of this move, their concerns echoing louder than thunderclaps. But deep within, that still, small voice remained steady, unwavering.

Let me tell you something about divine whispers – they don't shout to compete with the world's noise. Instead, they persist, like water wearing away stone, gentle but relentless. When God spoke to Samuel in the temple, it wasn't with thunder and lightning, but with a voice so familiar the young boy thought it was just Eli calling (1 Samuel 3:1-10).

As I reflect on the courage it took to follow that voice to Delaware, I think of Nikki Giovanni, who just recently left us at 81, but whose spirit of bold truth-telling lives on. She wrote:

"I have folded my sorrows into little origami boats

And sent them to sea

The same sea that called to my ancestors

Who knew that freedom was worth the journey"

Like those origami boats, I had to release my fears into the waters of faith. Giovanni understood this spiritual GPS within us, this cosmic knowing that transcends logic. Her words remind us that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is listen to that inner voice, even when – especially when – it leads us away from the comfortable and familiar.

Harriet Tubman, who would stop in the midst of her dangerous missions, becoming absolutely still to hear God's guidance. She called it "consulting with the Lord," and that consultation saved countless lives. Consider Ruth, who followed divine leading to a foreign land, trusting in a promise she could not yet see (Ruth 1:16).

The philosopher Simone Weil wrote, "Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity." When we give our attention to that divine whisper within, we're practicing the highest form of self-respect and spiritual obedience. It's an act of faith that says, "I trust You more than I trust my fears."

Look at our generation's prophetic voices – Maya Angelou, whose words became healing balm for nations, Tyler Perry, who built an entertainment empire from divine whispers in his pain,

When Abraham stepped out, following a voice that led him from everything familiar (Genesis 12:1), he couldn't have known he would father nations. When Esther approached the king's throne uninvited, the whisper of divine purpose proved stronger than the law of death (Esther 4:16). When Deborah sat beneath her palm tree rendering judgments, she demonstrated how one woman's obedience to God's voice could lead a nation to victory (Judges 4:4-5).

In 2016, packing up my life for Delaware, I now reflect on the words of Howard Thurman: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." That move wasn't just about changing locations; it was about aligning with God's frequency for my life.

The truth is, beloved, every great movement in history began with someone listening to that still, small voice. Rosa Parks didn't just randomly decide to stay seated – she later spoke of feeling God's presence giving her strength in that moment. As Giovanni wrote:

"There are those who choose the safety of the valley

And those who must climb the mountain

Because it's there

The voice inside knows which you are"

The world will always have opinions about your next move. But remember this: those opinions don't carry the weight of divine authority. That belongs to the whisper within, the one that aligns with God's word and resonates in your spirit with a peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7).

A Prayer for Divine Listening:

Father God, in Jesus' name,

Tune our hearts to Your frequency,

That we might hear You in the stillness,

Past the noise of doubt and fear.

Thank You for the cloud of witnesses before us,

Who dared to listen and obey,

Opening doors we now walk through.

Give us courage like those who went before us,

To trust Your voice when it calls us higher,

To move when You say move,

To stand when You say stand.

Thank You for those precious moments of clarity

When Your whisper cuts through all confusion.

Help us honor that still, small voice,

For it carries the seeds of our destiny.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Source References

Citations

"The mind is like the wind and the body like the sand..."

- Author: Yung Pueblo (Diego Perez)

- Source: "Clarity & Connection" (2021)

- Context: Discusses mindfulness and self-awareness

Nikki Giovanni Quotes:

"I have folded my sorrows into little origami boats..."

- Source: Poem "Resignation" from "Those Who Ride the Night Winds" (1983)

"There are those who choose the safety of the valley..."

- Source: From "Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day" collection (1978)

"Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity"

- Author: Simone Weil

- Source: "Gravity and Grace" (1947)

- Context: Discussing spiritual attention and presence

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive..."

- Author: Howard Thurman

- Source: Originally from "The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman: A Visionary for Our Time"

- Context: Discussing purpose and calling

Biblical References Used:

1 Kings 19:11-13 - Elijah hearing God's still small voice

1 Samuel 3:1-10 - Samuel hearing God's voice in the temple

Ruth 1:16 - Ruth's decision to follow Naomi

Genesis 12:1 - Abraham's calling

Esther 4:16 - Esther's courage

Judges 4:4-5 - Deborah's leadership

Philippians 4:7 - Peace that passes understanding

Historical References:

- Harriet Tubman's "consulting with the Lord" quote is documented in various biographies, notably in "Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom" by Catherine Clinton

- Rosa Parks' reference to feeling God's presence is from her autobiography "Rosa Parks: My Story" (1992)