I have noticed an undeniable trend in my life. The only problems that challenge me are self-made. In other words, my life would be pretty good if I would just stay out of it. Well, since that is impossible, I must thank God for blessing me in spite of myself.
The same thing might be said about Elija. When we first meet him in 1 Kings 17:1, he seems to have boldly taken it upon himself to confront Ahab, the king of Israel. Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, worshipped Baal instead of the true God. Not only that, they compelled the entire nation to worship the false god. Nowhere does the Bible say that God asked Elijah to confront Ahab that first time (although, one might safely assume that).
To protect Elijah from the king after that confrontation, God leads Elijah to the desert, sits him down by a stream, and sends ravens to feed him. Before long, though, the stream dries up because of a drought that God had sent on Israel.
To save Elijah, God tells him to seek out a particular widow and ask her for food. The widow, though, has no food, and tells Elijah she was preparing her last meal from what little flour and oil that remained. It was just enough to feed her and her son. “After that is gone,” she said, “I will give up and die.”
“Do not fear,” Elijah tells her. “Bake me some bread, and feed me. I promise, there will be enough for you and your son. Furthermore, I promise that your supply of flour and oil will not run out until God sends rain.”
While Elijah comforts the widow and her son, he must have mused about the way God works. He may have spent weeks in the desert, placing his faith in God, and wondering if and when his life would get better. When the stream dried up, he undoubtedly prayed desperately.
“Don’t be afraid, Elijah.” God had reassured him. “For through your tragic situation, I am working. A widow will feed you, and in turn, I will feed her and her son.”
We don’t really know that God said that to Elijah, but that is the exact situation.
Have you ever stopped to consider how God is using you, even in the lowest, most traffic circumstances in your life? You may never know how you have touched others for the good. Don’t be afraid, for God is working through you, even when you feel like you are at your lowest.
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