Not Where I Was Looking

I have had a crazy week. One that is emotionally draining, physically exhausting and even spiritually it has felt, well long. This morning I woke up two hours too early after having gone to bed two hours too late last night. This is the first place I've ever lived where I can't see the sunrise. And I miss it. So, my commitment is that if the Lord does wake me up early, I will try to go watch the sun waking up, too. But I haven't been able to find it. Today, I wound up the hill that my apartment leans up against. And I went up, up, up (when does a hill become a mountain?) and zigzagged back and forth, but the road never took me to the east side. I could tell the sun was on the move, I just couldn't get there. So, I gave up. I crawled back in bed.
Sometimes, we have seasons like that. We feel like we're chasing the Lord. We just want to reach Him. We're climbing and we're wiggling and we're just bound and determined to find Him. We are waiting for His voice in the raging wind. In the earthquake. In the fire. But, like Elijah, we can't hear Him.
So, I laid back in bed, thinking. I'll be honest and say that I wasn't even praying. I wrote an email. Found a good quote. Just rested. And waves of peace and comfort rolled over me. And then my iPod's alarm came on. Songs of worship and Truth. Songs of God's glory and His passion for me and for the lost. And the words and the music ministered to me. And God spoke.
Not in the sunrise. Not in the physical activity of walking and trying to pray. Not in the beauty of the gardens or villas or even the vistas overlooking the city. He spoke through my head on my comfy pillow and my worship play list.
A still small voice.
He does promise that He'll be found. Just maybe not where we are looking. Surprise us, oh, Lord.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yubLGTOcm8c&feature=related