As we pick up the story of Elijah the prophet has worn out his welcome by speaking the truth, and is on the run. He is hiding in a cave because he knows they are out to kill him.
God tell him to go outside because he is going to pass by. First a hurricane like wind, then an earthquake, then a fire all pass by but God is in not in any of them. Instead he is in "a tiny whispering sound" or it could be translated still whispering voice.
The key is the that voice or sound is so tiny and quiet that it could easily be missed. Only a practiced ear can separate it from all the noise around it.
Again our movie have done us no favors. We always portrait the voice of God as a booming bass. And people wonder why God doesn't speak to them, and answer their prayer.
Prayer is not just a time for us to read to God, or to go to God we what a navy wife friend used to call her "honey do list", the list of all the things her husband needed to do when he got back from deployment. To quote the psalmist, "Be still and know that I am God."
And even if we are still it takes patience and practice to hone our minds to hear that voice of God, telling us not just what we want to hear but what we need to hear. It's worth noting that God does not tell Elijah everything will be fine for him. On the contrary he tells him to get back to work, to go and annoint three people, the third on the list
Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, as prophet to succeed you.
He is to go and anoint his replacement.
