Seeking Answers

I've been thinking a lot lately about answers to prayers and how they come. 

We hear stories of people's prayers being answered through some miraculous event, such as some one who is short on money pays tithing first and miraculously has enough food to eat. 

Or someone is having a bad day and a friend just happens to stop by without knowing why and cheers them up. 

These stories are amazing and I love to hear them, but as I was thinking about prayers and the answers to them a scripture came into my head. 

It's in 1 Kings 19:11-12. It says:

"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

And after the earthquake a fire: but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."

Then another verse I found that goes with this one is in Helaman 5:30. It says:

"And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul."

Both of these verses got me thinking a lot about answers to prayers! There are many instances in life where our answers do come from such events, and it is important to recognize that. But, I have also learned it is important to know that Heavenly Father answers prayers in different ways, but the most common is through the still small voice that brings a peace of heart. We don't always have these earthshaking experiences to receive answers, and it's important for us not to seek them! I was thinking about this in regards to the 1 Kings verses. Sure a lot of earthshaking events happened, but Elijah recognized that they weren't from the Lord. He recognized the true way the Lord spoke to him. 

I found this clip by President James E. Faust that talks about this too.

I know it is so important for us to recognize the true voice in our lives. It is so easy to get caught up in many voices of the world. I am so thankful for Heavenly Father and the gift of the Spirit in my life. I know that as we recognize the peace of the Spirit and follow it, we will always be doing what Heavenly Father wants us to be doing!