Listen for His Whisper

By Paula Williamson guest writer

He Talks  

Avocados and a Little Girl’s Birthday

I cannot begin to tell you all the times a fleeting thought passed through my mind—an urge to call someone, write a note of encouragement, send a small gift—and time after time, people would later say that my words or actions came just when they needed it most.

One day I called a woman simply to check on her. She told me she had just prayed, asking God to send someone to call her. I answered her prayer.

What if I had ignored that fleeting thought? What if I had dismissed it as coincidence? Would she have wondered if God cared? If He didn’t answer her prayers? It was then I realized: God doesn’t just speak in thunder or earthquakes. He speaks in whispers, in nudges, in fleeting thoughts. He talks to us personally—intimately—and He longs for us to listen

God is a God of Details

I’ve met people who say, “God has too many important things to do. He can’t be involved in my little life.” That is not the God I know. My God is a God of details. Every detail of the ark, every detail of the Tabernacle, every measurement of the temple—all mattered to Him. Even the smallest detail has divine purpose. I believe He talks to us all the time. We just need to learn to listen.

A Sacred Moment at the Grocery Store

One birthday, my six-year-old niece, living with us at the time, requested guacamole for her special day. On my way to the store, a fleeting thought entered my mind: Sack-n-Save. I ignored it. I drove to Winn Dixie, bought six avocados, all hard as bricks, hoping they’d ripen in time. The night before her party, they were still rocks. I tried everything—warming them, bagging them, even putting them in the oven. Nothing worked.

Exasperated, I got in the car to go to another store. Again the thought came: Sack-n-Save. I ignored it again and headed toward Albertson’s—but the road was blocked. Reluctantly, I turned toward Sack-n-Save. And there it was: a huge bin of perfectly ripe avocados, six for a dollar. I stood in awe, realizing the God of the universe had whispered three times, guiding me to fulfill a child’s birthday wish. It was a sacred, holy moment: God cares about the details of our lives. He whispers. He invites us into relationship, patiently waiting for us to notice.

God in the Small Things

Around the same time, we were financially struggling. My husband had just been laid off. I was working as a teacher, plus making crafts and painting to supplement our income, worried about how we would provide for the holidays.

One afternoon, on my way to help care for my great aunt, a fleeting thought popped into my mind: Turn here. I was on the usual scenic route but decided to follow that thought.

Down that road, I saw it: a massive pile of free, high-quality wood. Exactly what I needed for my crafts. Over the next few trips, I filled my car, made enough money to buy holiday decorations, and even painted gifts for my family and friends. Had I ignored that whisper, I would have missed this precious gift of God entirely.

A Closing Prayer:

Father, help me not miss the ways You whisper throughout our common, ordinary days. Help us to tune our ears to Your whisper that floats into our thoughts like a feather. Help us act on them, swiftly and promptly and never reason them away.

Devotional Take Away:

Obedience to Your whisper brings heaven to earth and transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.

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This blog was taken from my book, Listen for His Whisper, a free download.