Still small voice - Pastor's Pen for 22nd March 2026

Long Bay

For a couple of days this week, I have been attending the Northern Presbytery minister's retreat at Vaughan Park, Long Bay. This is now an annual thing and is much appreciated by most colleagues. Very easy to get to for us North Shore folk. It's good to be reminded one has fellow travellers on the ministry journey. We support and pray for one another. This time we have had the benefit of hearing from our national church moderator, Rt. Rev. Peter Dunn. He is a very humble, low-key kind of guy from Southland, with a knack for sharing personal stories that make you think. This (Wednesday) morning he was musing on the idea of how you tell the difference between a 'loud thought' from your own head and the 'still small voice' of God, related to a tricky and life-threatening situation he found himself in, kayaking on Lake Hauroko in Fiordland.

This opened up a sharing time whereby colleagues and friends were able to relate instances in which they had experienced the intervention of God through a word, a healing or through circumstances. I didn't contribute verbally, but sensed it was time to simply listen. I felt like my faith was being fed, as though a net of faith was being woven beneath me, strand by strand, perhaps like a spider would do. It was like my cup of faith was being filled.

How do you tell the difference between a 'loud thought' or 'the still small voice.'? Does it matter? I would say the critical thing is practice. Our Christian faith is a daily walk and God conversation, not an insurance policy for emergencies. The main purpose of our sharing time in the Sunday service is to build the practice of sharing testimony to build faith in others and to give thanks as we discern God's working in our midst.

The moderator reminded us of Elijah's encounter with God in 1 Kings 19, in which he heard the voice of God after the wind, earthquake and fire subsided, in the sound of 'sheer silence.' May the Spirit of God bless your 'loud thoughts' and reveal his 'still small voice' to your hearts and minds as you diligently seek Him. Shalom