As I was reading about the life of the apostle John, something struck me about his exile to the island of Patmos. John was sent there by Emperor Domitian around 95 AD—exiled, silenced, and cut off from the church community he loved. He likely spent one to two years there. But what stands out is not the length of time, but what God did in the stillness.
It was in that place of isolation that John received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation. What the enemy meant to silence him, God used to reveal one of the most powerful messages in Scripture. Alone, away from the noise, John was positioned to hear God’s voice with clarity. That quiet, stripped-down space became the setting for God’s greatest revelation through him.
The other detail that amazes me is John’s age. He was about 95 years old at the time. Think about that—God was still using him powerfully in his nineties! John’s story reminds me that as long as we have breath, God still has purpose for us. Our usefulness doesn’t expire with age, circumstances, or isolation.
This encourages me to pay attention to the quiet. Because if God could use John in exile to speak eternal truth to the Church, He can certainly use our stillness to whisper His direction, comfort, or encouragement to us. Sometimes we need to step away from the swirl of activity—even good activity—and allow space for Him to speak.
Today’s Step:
Find a quiet moment today—five or ten minutes without phone, music, or distraction. Simply be still with God. Ask Him to remind you of His purpose in your life right now. Write down anything He places on your heart, no matter how small it seems.
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