The Benefit of Stepping Back

There are situations in life when we have an opportunity to become angry, fearful and bitter OR peaceful, trusting, and better.  I am sure you have been in that place sometime in your life. God lead me to a very familiar passage in I Kings 18-19 about Elijah. You might remember this lesson: Elijah was told to go and show God's power to the prophets of Baal. God did an amazing miracle and many pagans turned toward the One True God. This did not make the evil leaders, Ahab and Jezebel very happy, and Elijah's life was threatened. He ran.

I am a runner...no not the kind a Fit-Bit would monitor, but the kind who runs from controversy when things get a little rough. Usually, running happens right after a time of great victory...a time when God's presence was so heavy I could touch it. The enemy craftily takes this particular time to present an attack. I want to run away.  This passage gives some points to ponder when we are in a similar situation.

• After a great victory, we are physically tired. 
• When we are tired, we allow our thoughts to run away 
• When we let our thoughts run away, we become fearful
• When we become fearful, we begin to think that we are all alone
• When we are all alone, we begin to think even God doesn't care
• When we think God doesn't care, we hide away from the world.

Does this sound familiar? As I read, I saw God in each situation:

• God gave rest to Elijah and brought him food to replenish
• God allowed Elijah to run and hide for awhile
• God spoke. 

God wasn't angry at Elijah for being human. We need to understand that. But God also wasn't going to let Elijah remain in a cave believing the lies of his fearful heart. He had called Elijah for a great work and that was more important than Elijah's feelings so He called to Elijah. Eventually, Elijah came out of hiding and heard the voice of the God who loved him.

"What are you doing here, Elijah?" I Kings 19:9 When God asks us a question, He expects honest answers and Elijah told Him everything he was feeling.  God patiently listened to every whine of His servant. When Elijah finished, God spoke truth to each of Elijah's complaints. Eventually, truth brought rest to all the fears. Elijah finally saw things from God's perspective.

I needed to hear that today as I am tempted to run from a situation. Sometimes, merely stepping back from a situation is OK. It doesn't mean I am giving up, it means I am willing to rest and allow God to show me a proper perspective of the situation.

Today, my encouragement to you is, instead of quitting, step away and listen to God's voice which will always be in a still small voice spoken deeply into your heart. That is when you know He is speaking a word only to you.