Week 7: Session 6 — The Still Small Voice

1.God asks Elijah the same question twice: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9, 13). Shirer points out that the question is not a scolding but a soul-probing invitation — God was asking Elijah to examine his own heart and name what had brought him to this cave. What question do you sense God might be asking you right now that you have been avoiding answering honestly?

2.The wind tears the mountains apart, the earthquake shakes the ground, and fire blazes — three displays of raw divine power — and then comes a gentle whisper. God was in none of the dramatic phenomena; He was in the whisper. Shirer suggests that we often look for God in the spectacular while He is speaking in the quiet. What is the "noise" in your life right now — busyness, media, anxiety, distraction — that may be drowning out the still, small voice?

3.Shirer draws out the significance of Elijah covering his face with his mantle when he hears the whisper. He did not cover his face at the wind or the fire — only at the voice. What does this physical response suggest about the nature of authentic encounters with God? How does it challenge the way we sometimes chase dramatic spiritual experiences?