Sometimes a Whisper and Sometimes a Shout

If you've been following my blog this week, you'll know that I've been a bit confused and discouraged.  Life, it seems, has handed me a bucket full of lemons and, for the life of me, I can't figure out what to do with them.  (I'm not a big fan of lemonade.)  In my frustration, I've questioned God and even accused Him of not caring what happens to me.  And through it all, God was quiet. . . until yesterday.  When I sat down for my daily Bible reading yesterday morning, I had no idea that I was about to get an earful from God.  Keeping in mind my emotional and spiritual state of being, read the following verses:

Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? - Malachi 2:17

Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Yehave said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we havekept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. - Malachi 3:13-15

I'm quite familiar with the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit, but I guarantee you that what I heard yesterday was no mere whisper.  It was a shout!  The words rang out and echoed in my ears again and again.  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so honestly, I did a little of both.  God made it clear that He had been listening but now it was my turn to hear what He had to say.  So He spoke, and my heart was renewed.

There is a lot of meat in these two passages, and for the sake of time, I don't want to try to elaborate on them in a single post.  Instead, I hope to take the next few posts to interpret the message I received from the Lord yesterday.  I desire to share with you what these passages say to me.

For now, let me remind you that God is listening and working even when He seems to be silent.  And sometimes, it's not that He's silent but that we're too distracted to hear His gentle whispers.  When that's the case, beware.  You're about to get an earful!  God's words will not return void.  He is speaking and, one way or another, He'll make sure we hear Him loud and clear.