The young man had lost his job, his wife had left him and he didn’t know which way to turn. In desperation he went to see his priest for some advice. The priest received him and brought him into his study and after making some tea, asked him what was troubling him. The young man told his story and finished by saying, “I’ve begged God to say something to help me, I have even shouted at Him on occasions, please tell me Father, why doesn’t God answer me?” The elderly priest who sat across the room from him spoke in reply – something so hushed it was indistinguishable to the man. The young man stood up, stepped across the room, “What did you say Father?” he asked. The priest repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the chair arm of the old man, “Sorry,” he said “But I still didn’t hear you.” With their heads now close together, the priest spoke once more, “You know, God sometimes whispers to us,” he said “So we need to move closer to hear Him.”

This time the young man heard and understood. We all want God’s voice to thunder through the air with the answers to all our problems, but God’s is the still small voice...the gentle whisper and perhaps there’s a good reason for this. Nothing attracts our attention more than a whisper and God’s whisper means that on occasions we must stop speaking and just listen and move closer to Him and then as we listen, we will find an answer and better still you will find yourself closer to God.