Outrageous Faith (part 4 of 5): Upon Further Review

Sometimes God uses suffering to strengthen our faith. In the game of life, we may doing our best, but the call on the field does not always go our way. One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’ ” She replied, “I have a home among my own people.” “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!” But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. (2 Kings 4:8-20 NIV) The following are three great truths about faith: 1. We have to have the faith to trust God, even when the call on the field does not go our way - when life is totally and completely unfair. She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.” “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.” “That’s all right,” she said. She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. 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. When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.” “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?” (2 Kings 4:22-28 NIV) Sometimes God allows suffering in our lives to strengthen our faith. We are in BITTER DISTRESS. In these moments, we can turn toward God or away from him. This is faith. Will we surrender our will to God's will, no matter what that is? Will I allow (trust) Him to do WHATEVER He wants to do with my life - even if I don't like what is happening?! We must walk by faith and not by sight. We trust in HIS plans, not our plans. Sometimes it takes a long time for us to see how what we are going through is in our best interest – or in the best interest of others around us. We have to be patient and trust in Him. We must wait for "upon further review..." Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NIV) His plans for me are FAR superior to my plans. But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. (2 Kings 4:30 NIV) The Shulamite woman keeps trusting. 2. We have to have the faith to trust in God’s plans for us, sometimes even to believe in God for a miracle. Upon further review... When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out. (2 Kings 4:32-37 NIV) To GOD be the glory, great things HE has done. Faith (only the kind that surrenders my will to God to allow/trust Him to do anything He wants with my life) can move a mountain. No other type of "faith" moves mountains. 3. We have to have the faith to remember that no situation is "dead" as long as God is on the scene. "Upon further review" means being willing to wait on God without knowing why He allows to happen what is happening - maybe even until we are face-to-face with Him in heaven. This is true faith. Are you going through a particularly tough time in your life? One that is challenging your belief in God to have your best interests at heart? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/