10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”
12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 1Kings 17:8-13
You know we are all on a journey...and each one begins with a step. That step can be filled with faith where there is literally an adventure & a degree of uncertainty. Or it can be filled with fear, where there are few steps if any; each leaves you riddled with anxiety & doubt. Elijah had been in both scenarios and knew to trust the Lord. He's instructed to go to a certain city, to meet a certain woman ( a widow), that would feed him. Now he didn't know she would be wrestling with fears....but he was able to encourage her to trust the Lord, because he didn't know what it meant to be a widow, but he knew what it meant to feel like you were at the end of your rope.
As a child of a single parent, my mom did well to inform us of what we didn't need to be worried about. See as a single mom, she worried about bills, about providing for us, about our security, etc, etc. But she knew that we didn't need to worry about things we couldn't do anything about. What could I do to change the fact child support wasn't in, or late? What could my brother or sister do about a disconnection notice? If there was more month left than money....what could we do? NOTHING....so even as an adult....but CHILD OF GOD....there are certain things I need to simply surrender to GOD, instead worrying about them.....especially those things I can't do anything about. So what do I currently worry about???? I could say nothing....but I'd be lying to say I'm never concerned about how are people really doing? I'd be lying if I'm not concerned about am I delivering the message GOD wants for His people. I'd be lying if I'm never concerned about am I doing a good job at____________________________(you name it; pastoring, friendships, marriage, parenting, bbqing...well maybe not that one). Look friends, worry visits me too....I just don't entertain it, because I hear the Spirit echoing through eternity "DO NOT FEAR, DON'T BE AFRAID, TRUST ME, BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS, I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU nor FORSAKE YOU."
See as I stated before we are all on a journey, and maybe you don't know the Lord's voice that well, and it's hard for you to discern His voice amidst all the others ones running through your head or competing for shelf space but God has set up THIS day that you'd meet certain people. That you'd be coming in contact with someone that may encourage you, or that you were sent to encourage them.....and that GOD would be glorified through that meeting.
So the questions is.....WHICH ARE YOU? Are you Elijah who has a testimony of being fearful, doubtful, wrestling with depression & despair that was delivered and can now encourage those that are currently the down in out in need of the GOOD NEWS? Or are you feeling like all is lost? Are you like the widow gathering your last, thinking that this is it....today is the day, you can't take it anymore? WHICHEVER you are.....GOD has a plan, you need not worry, because His plan is perfect and it's to prosper us, to give us a hope, and a future WITH HIM! May GOD bless you, and every FAITH-filled step you take today to intersect with those He's planned for you to meet. LGLP
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