A Gentle Whisper
All the department stores are beginning to hang those big colorful banners in the store windows that shout "Back to School!" I'm getting postcards in the mail from every store that begs me to come in and check out their special selection of the "must-haves" for school. I've always loved this time of year because the adventures of summer are coming to a close just in time for me to start getting excited about a new school year. But this time around, things are a little different. I'm even more excited and full of even more anticipation than ever before because this year, I'm heading off to college as a freshman!
Back in June, I attended an orientation for the university I will be attending in the fall. I had a blast getting my post office box, taking my picture for my student ID, and meeting new people. Everything was really fun and enjoyable, except for one minor activity - signing up for classes. It was probably the activity that I looked forward to the most, but enjoyed the least. I didn't intend to make things difficult, but because I already had some hours and I wanted to study abroad and I wanted to get a certain minor, things turned out to be more complicated and frustrating than I expected. After four hours of talking with an advisor and sitting at the computer, I officially completed my registration and told my mom, "I think that was the most stressful thing I've ever done!"
Back at the dorm room that night, I opened my Bible to check off the box on my daily-read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year schedule. Although it was late and I was reading only so I wouldn't fall behind, God had something bigger in store for me. On that particular date, I read the small treasure of Scripture tucked away in 1 Kings 19.
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
As I laid there in my bed that night, an overwhelming peace washed over me as I remembered the significance of that verse. It was that little Scripture in 1 Kings that had led me to the decision to choose Harding University as my home for at least the next four years. Choosing a college was another one of those processes that had me very stressed out at one point, but God used that verse to help me hear His whisper in my life, the whisper that would lead me to Harding. Now, several months later, I read that same verse on the night of my anxieties. Through that verse, God reminded me that He has guided me through His whispers before, and He will do it again and again. When I was stressed out before, He lead me like a gentle shepherd. In that same way, He'll work out my schedule, my hours, and every detail of my life. God is faithful.
When life gets hectic or when things stress you out, listen for God's presence in the whisper. Hear Him telling you, "I've always worked things out for you according to my perfect plan, so trust me." That night, I slept really well, knowing that God has a plan for me and a plan for you. And He is on the job, accomplishing His purposes and achieving His dreams for you. Live in peace because you know with confidence that God has a plan for you and will carry you through it. He's forever faithful.
Back in June, I attended an orientation for the university I will be attending in the fall. I had a blast getting my post office box, taking my picture for my student ID, and meeting new people. Everything was really fun and enjoyable, except for one minor activity - signing up for classes. It was probably the activity that I looked forward to the most, but enjoyed the least. I didn't intend to make things difficult, but because I already had some hours and I wanted to study abroad and I wanted to get a certain minor, things turned out to be more complicated and frustrating than I expected. After four hours of talking with an advisor and sitting at the computer, I officially completed my registration and told my mom, "I think that was the most stressful thing I've ever done!"
Back at the dorm room that night, I opened my Bible to check off the box on my daily-read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year schedule. Although it was late and I was reading only so I wouldn't fall behind, God had something bigger in store for me. On that particular date, I read the small treasure of Scripture tucked away in 1 Kings 19.
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
As I laid there in my bed that night, an overwhelming peace washed over me as I remembered the significance of that verse. It was that little Scripture in 1 Kings that had led me to the decision to choose Harding University as my home for at least the next four years. Choosing a college was another one of those processes that had me very stressed out at one point, but God used that verse to help me hear His whisper in my life, the whisper that would lead me to Harding. Now, several months later, I read that same verse on the night of my anxieties. Through that verse, God reminded me that He has guided me through His whispers before, and He will do it again and again. When I was stressed out before, He lead me like a gentle shepherd. In that same way, He'll work out my schedule, my hours, and every detail of my life. God is faithful.
When life gets hectic or when things stress you out, listen for God's presence in the whisper. Hear Him telling you, "I've always worked things out for you according to my perfect plan, so trust me." That night, I slept really well, knowing that God has a plan for me and a plan for you. And He is on the job, accomplishing His purposes and achieving His dreams for you. Live in peace because you know with confidence that God has a plan for you and will carry you through it. He's forever faithful.
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