Don’t Miss Out on God’s Quiet Direction (Here's How To Hear Him)

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TODAY'S TEACHING

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake 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:
—1 Kings 19:11-12

I’ll never forget the first time I learned about horses having a “reining ear.”

It’s something trainers talk about when a horse is so attuned to its rider that one of its ears is always focused on the rider’s voice, even while it’s still alert to the world around it.

While most horses are guided by the reins or the bit in their mouths, a horse with a reining ear can pick up subtle cues from its trainer, even when there’s a lot of noise in the environment.

It’s like they have this built-in sensitivity—an ability to tune out distractions and hear the quietest of instructions.

This kind of connection takes time and training, but when it’s there, it’s powerful.

This idea of a reining ear stuck with me when I thought about a few characters in the Bible, namely the prophet Elijah.

After defeating 450 false prophets, he found himself running for his life, threatened by Queen Jezebel.

The world around him was falling apart, and he definitely needed to hear from God.

He stood on a mountain where the wind howled, the earth shook, and fire raged.

But God’s voice didn’t come in any of those powerful displays.

It came in a still, small whisper.

Elijah had a reining ear—he was trained to hear God’s quiet voice, even in the midst of noisy chaos.

I had my own "Elijah moment" one day, when everything around me seemed overwhelming.

I was caught up in the noise of life.

My plans were falling apart, pressures were mounting, and I realized I couldn’t hear God clearly.

I knew I needed His direction, but I wasn’t hearing Him.

Then, in the silence of a quiet morning shortly thereafter, I took a deep breath and asked God to give me a “reining ear.”

Almost immediately, I felt His peace settle over me and the answer I longed for.

His whisper was there, guiding me through the confusion.

God still speaks in that quiet voice today.

We just have to be still enough to hear (Psalm 46:10).

Like Elijah, we need to train our hearts and ears to tune into God’s voice, even in the middle of life’s storms.

Just like that horse listening for the slightest cue from its trainer, we need to learn to listen for God’s still, small voice.

So ask God for a "reining ear" right now.

A heart that listens, ready to hear His whisper.

If this resonates with you, here's a short prayer you can say today:

"Dear God, I want to be like that horse with a reining ear, always tuned to Your voice, no matter how noisy the world gets around me. Help me block out the distractions and hear Your whisper, guiding me with clarity and peace. Teach me to listen closely, so I can move in sync with Your will, trusting that You’ll lead me every step of the way. Give me a heart that’s always ready to hear, no matter how softly You speak. Amen."

God bless you!

Your brother in Christ,

Daniel

DailyEffectivePrayer.org

P.S. - Thank you for allowing me to connect with you through email. If you ever want to UNSUBSCRIBE you can do so at the bottom of any of my emails - no questions asked. God bless you.

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DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS

1. Are we truly listening for God's voice, or are we allowing the noise of the world to drown out His whispers?

Let’s be real... life is loud. There are constant distractions, whether it’s the demands of work, family, or just the constant thoughts in our heads. But God’s voice isn’t always the loudest thing in the room. It’s like trying to hear a soft melody in the middle of a party. You’ve got to get still and focus. If we’re not careful, we’ll miss it. We need to create moments of quiet where we can really listen to what He’s saying. Taking time to be still like Psalm 46:10 says, is more important than ever.

2. How can Christians train our hearts to tune in more closely to God’s guidance, even in the midst of chaos?

Training our hearts to listen is like learning a new instrument. At first, it’s hard, and it takes practice. But the more we spend time with God, the more sensitive we become to His voice. The key is making a daily choice to get into His presence, whether it’s through prayer, worship, or reading His Word. When we do, we start to recognize His voice even when everything else is falling apart around us.

3. In what ways can Believers block out distractions and create space to hear God’s quiet voice in our daily lives?

Distractions are everywhere, aren’t they? It’s like trying to have a conversation in the middle of a busy street. It's next to impossible to focus. To hear God, we’ve got to take intentional steps to create space. It might mean setting aside time in the morning before the world wakes up or finding a quiet spot during the day to just be still. It’s about saying, “God, I want to hear You,” and then making room for it, even if it’s just a few moments.

4. Are Christians willing to trust God’s subtle guidance, even when it doesn’t come in the dramatic ways we expect?

We all want the big, dramatic moments, don’t we? We’re waiting for the sky to part, for thunder to roll, or for something extraordinary. But God often speaks in the small, quiet ways. Like a soft whisper that’s easy to miss if we’re not paying attention. Trusting Him means accepting that His guidance isn’t always flashy, but it’s always right. Even when it feels like nothing’s happening, His subtle promptings are leading us in the right direction.

5. How can we cultivate a heart that listens for God’s still, small voice, just like Elijah did in the midst of turmoil?

Elijah was facing incredible pressure and fear, yet he was able to hear God’s still, small voice because he had learned to listen closely. We can do the same, but it starts with intentionally quieting our hearts and minds. It’s about training ourselves to focus on God’s presence, even when everything around us is chaotic. Just like Elijah, we can find peace in the middle of the storm, but we’ve got to be willing to listen for God’s whisper over the noise. That’s where His guidance will always be.

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