When the Whisper Finds You

Inspired by 1 Kings 19:11–13)

This morning was ordinary—until it wasn’t.

I had just stepped into the rhythm of my day when I heard a scuffle. It was Hyway. My dear, mostly blind and deaf pup, whom we rescued over three years ago, had gotten his paw caught in the floor vent.

Hyway was out of sight, but not out of my hearing—thank God. I called out his name softly, trying to calm him. But then, he cried.

That cry pierced me.

Hyway is 99.9% non-verbal. That cry? That was panic. Fear. Vulnerability.

I found him struggling in the bathroom, paw still trapped, heart racing. I scooped him up—vent and all—and held him close as I gently freed his nail. He shook in my arms. I whispered his name over and over, slowly calming my own breath, inviting him to match mine. And then… he rested his head on my chest and let go.

He knew he was safe.

He knew he was home.

And that’s when the Holy Spirit gently whispered to my soul:

"That’s how I care for you. Even when you're nearly non-verbal. Even when you’re trapped and crying. I hear you. I come running. I lift you into my arms. Match your breath with mine. You are safe here. You are home in Me."

I stood still in that sacred moment. Tears welled up, not just from Hyway’s cry, but from mine.

I too have felt trapped lately—in circumstances, grief, and weariness. Like Hyway, I don’t always know how to speak what I feel. But God hears even the wordless cry. And He comes.

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah was exhausted and hiding. He expected God in the wind, earthquake, and fire. But instead, God came in a gentle whisper.

 “And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”

1 Kings 19:12

Maybe you feel like Elijah. Maybe like Hyway. I know I do.

And maybe, just maybe, the whisper will find you too.

Lord, thank you for the sacred reminders You tuck into ordinary moments. Help me listen for the whisper, especially when I feel stuck, scared, or silent. Amen