Listen for His Whisper

By Paula Williamson guest writer

Rain and Shine!

Some of my days are filled with sunshine, others, with rain. Much of my life has been difficult, yet I am thankful that I know God and that He never lets go of me.

There was a season when I saw history repeating itself through my children. It was as if I were watching my life replayed, but now my children were in the adult role. Removing the blinders from my own eyes was both painful and gut-wrenching. Owning what I had passed on to them was devastating. Writing has always been a way for me to release what lies deep inside, and that day, the words poured out in a gut-wrenching poem I titled “Boundaries.”

I had lived without boundaries, and my children repeated what they had learned. Sharing the poem with a mentor during Celebrate Recovery, I remember him calling it a “visceral cry” from my innermost being, holding nothing back. He mentioned something about God and oblivion. I didn’t fully understand at the time, but those words lingered in my mind all week. When a word continues to echo, I’ve learned it’s often the whisper of God, and I should take the time to listen.

I looked them up.

Visceral—deep emotion involving the soft parts of the body, including the heart and stomach.Yes. That spoke my language—so much grief and distress trapped inside of me.

Oblivion—a state of being entirely forgotten or obliterated. I also looked up obliterate: to destroy completely, removing all traces.

At that moment, what had been a blur came into focus. Hope stirred in my heart. Tears ran down my cheeks. I sat quietly and remembered a scripture:

“Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:4-5

I thought back to when I invited Jesus into my heart as a twelve-year-old. I remembered the instant I felt clean, forgiven, and wholly accepted. If He could do that for me, could He not also blot out and remove all the pain consuming me over my children’s suffering? With the faith of a child, I asked Him to perform an “oblivianectomy.”Yes, I made up that word—and it is a good one!

Before I even finished the thought, it happened. The heaviness, the grief, the sickness of my stomach—it vanished. Instantly. I was stunned, like a child in a candy store, amazed at the freedom flowing through me. I began to name every painful memory I could remember, and one by one, they disappeared. My heart was free. Their pain was gone, vanished without a trace, carried off by the Lord’s power.

I imagined them leaving my body, wrapped in gauze, fading into nothingness. It was a rain-and-shine day, grief and healing mingled, sorrow and joy walking hand in hand. That day reminded me that Jesus not only washes our sins but also lifts the burdens others have placed on us. Our hearts, our souls, our bodies can be completely cleansed.

Scripture Reflection:

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 3:13-14

A Closing Prayer:Heavenly Father,Thank You for Your mercy, for Your grace, and for Your power to heal. Wash away my burdens, my grief, and all that weighs heavily on my heart. Help me to release the pain of the past and walk forward in Your freedom, trusting You to bring light even in the rain. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Devotional Takeaway:

He gives us beauty for ashes and is just waiting to turn the rain into sunshine.

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