“It is too wonderful for you to understand.” – Judges 13:18 GNT
For over two years, I prayed to God for a job and for two years I was disappointed when I did not receive one. I became more dispirited with every no I received, until I stopped expecting any good news. What do you do when you trust and believe in God but doubt that His promises apply to you?
I witnessed others receive breakthroughs and blessings around me, but I convinced myself that those things do not pertain to me. By the time I finally received a job offer, I was so accustomed to disappointment that I could not even get excited. It was too good to be true, I imagined that they would withdraw the offer, leaving me disappointed yet again. Surely enough, less than 24 hours after receiving the job offer, it was rescinded from me. No explanation was given. There is no worst feeling than losing what you hoped for after receiving it.
Have you become so comfortable in your frustrations that the blessings of God no longer excite you? Have you been single for so long that you look at a quality partner with skeptical eyes? Have you been unhappy for so long that you view any good news negatively? Have you been living in pessimism for so long that hopefulness scares you?
Please, Do Not Lie to Me
One day Elisha went to Shunem, where a great woman lived. She invited him to a meal, and from then on, every time he went to Shunem he would have his meals at her house. She said to her husband, “I am sure that this man who comes here so often is a holy man. Let's build a small room on the roof, put a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp in it, and he can stay there whenever he visits us.” – 2 Kings 4:8-10 GNT
Elisha asked Gehazi (his servant), “What can I do for her then?”
He answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is an old man.”
“Tell her to come here,” Elisha ordered. She came and stood in the doorway, and Elisha said to her, “By this time next year you will be holding a son in your arms.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “Please, sir, don't lie to me. You are a man of God!”
But, as Elisha had said, at about that time the following year she gave birth to a son.
- 2 Kings 4:14-17 GNT
Unlike the other barren women, we learn about throughout the Bible, this Shunammite woman did not ask God for a child, but God knows our buried desires. Maybe she, like you and I, had been disappointed so many times before that she stopped praying and believing for something, she considered to be out of the realm of possibility. It is hard for us to believe that God’s promises apply to us because we know ALL the things that we have done and said that should disqualify us from His blessings. But the LORD is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made (Psalm 145:9).
People have misled us so much, that we think it applies to God. God is not like people, who lie; He is not a human who changes His mind. Whatever He promises, He does; He speaks, and it is done (Numbers 23:19). If God promised to heal you then you will be healed. If God promised to deliver you then you will be saved. If God promised to never leave or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6) then take heart in knowing that it will be done. Put God first, and by this time next year you will be giving birth to the purpose He has placed within you, and you will be in a better position spiritually, emotionally, financially and mentally.
Everything is All Right
Years after the Shunammite woman gave birth, the son Elisha promised her had died. She went and confronted Elisha:
When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”
“Everything is all right,” she said. – 2 Kings 4:25-26 NIV
“Sir, did I ask you for a son? Didn't I tell you not to get my hopes up?” - 2 Kings 4:28 GNT
This woman never admitted that her child had died. When confronted with what was seen, she took comfort in what God said – declaring that everything is all right. When you lose the job, trust and believe that everything is all right. When the relationship ends, trust and believe that everything is all right. When the diagnosis is dire, trust and believe that everything is all right. When it looks dead and appears impossible, do not acknowledge what seems inevitable, do not give up, do not let go, until God blesses you (Genesis 32:26).
The boy’s body was placed in the room they built for Elisha. When your dreams die, when you lose hope, go back to that place you first built for God in your life. Go back to that place where He first saved, lifted and filled you. Elisha went to her house, walked up to the room and raised the boy back to life. Even though her son had died, she still had the faith to believe that God will work it out for the good. God will bring your hopes and dreams back to life if you just believe. God does not backtrack on His word, and if you are still here then He has more to give you.
“The Lord is good to everyone who trusts in him, So, it is best for us to wait in patience - to wait for him to save us.” – Lamentations 3:25-26 GNT
For over two years, I prayed to God for a job and for two years I was disappointed when I did not receive one. I became more dispirited with every no I received, until I stopped expecting any good news. What do you do when you trust and believe in God but doubt that His promises apply to you?
I witnessed others receive breakthroughs and blessings around me, but I convinced myself that those things do not pertain to me. By the time I finally received a job offer, I was so accustomed to disappointment that I could not even get excited. It was too good to be true, I imagined that they would withdraw the offer, leaving me disappointed yet again. Surely enough, less than 24 hours after receiving the job offer, it was rescinded from me. No explanation was given. There is no worst feeling than losing what you hoped for after receiving it.
Have you become so comfortable in your frustrations that the blessings of God no longer excite you? Have you been single for so long that you look at a quality partner with skeptical eyes? Have you been unhappy for so long that you view any good news negatively? Have you been living in pessimism for so long that hopefulness scares you?
Please, Do Not Lie to Me
One day Elisha went to Shunem, where a great woman lived. She invited him to a meal, and from then on, every time he went to Shunem he would have his meals at her house. She said to her husband, “I am sure that this man who comes here so often is a holy man. Let's build a small room on the roof, put a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp in it, and he can stay there whenever he visits us.” – 2 Kings 4:8-10 GNT
Elisha asked Gehazi (his servant), “What can I do for her then?”
He answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is an old man.”
“Tell her to come here,” Elisha ordered. She came and stood in the doorway, and Elisha said to her, “By this time next year you will be holding a son in your arms.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “Please, sir, don't lie to me. You are a man of God!”
But, as Elisha had said, at about that time the following year she gave birth to a son.
- 2 Kings 4:14-17 GNT
Unlike the other barren women, we learn about throughout the Bible, this Shunammite woman did not ask God for a child, but God knows our buried desires. Maybe she, like you and I, had been disappointed so many times before that she stopped praying and believing for something, she considered to be out of the realm of possibility. It is hard for us to believe that God’s promises apply to us because we know ALL the things that we have done and said that should disqualify us from His blessings. But the LORD is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made (Psalm 145:9).
People have misled us so much, that we think it applies to God. God is not like people, who lie; He is not a human who changes His mind. Whatever He promises, He does; He speaks, and it is done (Numbers 23:19). If God promised to heal you then you will be healed. If God promised to deliver you then you will be saved. If God promised to never leave or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6) then take heart in knowing that it will be done. Put God first, and by this time next year you will be giving birth to the purpose He has placed within you, and you will be in a better position spiritually, emotionally, financially and mentally.
Everything is All Right
Years after the Shunammite woman gave birth, the son Elisha promised her had died. She went and confronted Elisha:
When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”
“Everything is all right,” she said. – 2 Kings 4:25-26 NIV
“Sir, did I ask you for a son? Didn't I tell you not to get my hopes up?” - 2 Kings 4:28 GNT
This woman never admitted that her child had died. When confronted with what was seen, she took comfort in what God said – declaring that everything is all right. When you lose the job, trust and believe that everything is all right. When the relationship ends, trust and believe that everything is all right. When the diagnosis is dire, trust and believe that everything is all right. When it looks dead and appears impossible, do not acknowledge what seems inevitable, do not give up, do not let go, until God blesses you (Genesis 32:26).
The boy’s body was placed in the room they built for Elisha. When your dreams die, when you lose hope, go back to that place you first built for God in your life. Go back to that place where He first saved, lifted and filled you. Elisha went to her house, walked up to the room and raised the boy back to life. Even though her son had died, she still had the faith to believe that God will work it out for the good. God will bring your hopes and dreams back to life if you just believe. God does not backtrack on His word, and if you are still here then He has more to give you.
“The Lord is good to everyone who trusts in him, So, it is best for us to wait in patience - to wait for him to save us.” – Lamentations 3:25-26 GNT
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