When’s the last time you had a few days of relatively unstructured time?  I just experienced a rare weekend like that and it was EXTREMELY REFRESHING! I have a number of responsibilities and speaking engagements on the calendar and I’m looking forward to them but they take preparation time.  Although I did not accomplish a great deal of preparation I achieved something better – time alone with God which gave me His peace and perspective.

As I speak with leaders what they probably need most and deeply desire is solitude.  I think of one leader in the Old Testament who was not only feeling overwhelmed but severely depressed.  Elijah had an incredible ministry at Mt. Carmel but after Jezebel’s death threat he despaired of his life.  God graciously ministered to Elijah and established a rendezvous, “So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God” (1 Kings 19:8).  You may recognize Horeb as a mountain of refreshment for another Old Testament leader – Moses. 

When Elijah received God’s instructions he was in Beersheba, Mt. Horeb was approximately 200 miles away.  Sometimes making time for God will involve a significant investment of time and energy.  If you are to hear from God, then you will need to eliminate the distractions in your life.  Sometimes we look for God in the miraculous, but look where Elijah heard from God:

“So He said, ‘Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing” (1 Kings 19:11-12).

Some translations use the phrase “still small voice” or “gentle whisper” for the phrase “gentle blowing”.  Admittedly it’s a difficult phrase to translate because it’s literally the sound of silence.  This Hebrew word occurs in two other passages where it’s translated “silence” and “still” respectively:

"It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:” (Job 4:16)

“He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed.”  (Psalm 107:29)

When’s the last time you experienced silence so you could hear His still small voice?  We all need those times of refreshment – especially leaders.  Invest time with God at your Mt. Horeb – it will be well worth it!