That Time I Was Like Elijah
There was a time, I was like Elijah...
God promised Elijah that he would send the rain. In the midst of a three year drought there was a promise of rain...even though it was no where in sight. Elijah sent his servant out to look for a sign that indicated rain was on the way. He didn't find anything and returned back. Elijah sent him again and again. I can imagine that by the fourth time he went to look for the rain, he was frustrated, was mad at Elijah for making him go, and expected to find nothing. But on the seventh time when he went out searching for the rain, he found a little cloud developing in the distance.
1 Kings 18:41-45
A few weeks ago, my best friend, explained to me the story of Elijah and how his story reminded her of my own.
Elijah knew that God promised rain. Five years ago, I knew that God promised blessing in my own life.
Much like Elijah prayed for God to send the rain, I prayed that God would send me a job and a sense of security for my future.
And very similar to Elijah and his servant it took me several trips to find what I was looking for.
My first year out of college I went out looking for a job. What I found was not what I was looking for. I went back again and again looking for the "rain" that God had promised He would send. Job after job, year after year, it wasn't right. And then as doubt starts to creep in, frustration hits, and I started to get annoyed that I was being sent out again to look for something that I had started to doubt was even there...I found it brewing in the distance.
I lost count, I'm sure it took more than seven times, but finally I found the "rain" that God had promised me. It took four years, countless unsuccessful interviews, and many failed jobs. I went back time after time looking for the perfect job and then one day when I didn't expect to find it...it was there. God placed me in a job that I love going to each day. A job that makes me happy, allows me to live out my passion, and has become my blessing after the drought.
I was like Elijah...
A few weeks ago, my best friend also pointed me in the direction of a podcast by Dr. Ron Walborn. Do yourself a favor and search for the podcast "Grieving the Seasons of Our Lives" on iTunes.
After listening to this podcast, it got me thinking. I was carrying around grief that I didn't even know existed. There was a season in my life and a dream in my heart that I needed to grieve the lost of.
During those five years of going back and forth, each time coming back empty handed after looking for what I need, I started to get upset with God. I suppressed a large amount of sadness that my dream of being a teacher was something that I had to leave behind. I became mad that God took me through job after job and didn't allow any of them to work out. I was upset about the relationships that were made that I had to leave behind with the change of each new job. And when I found my new job, I suppressed all the pain that the searching had caused.
I discovered that I never took the time to grieve the lost of that season in my life. I never took the time to grieve the co-workers and students that I said goodbye to. I never took the time to grieve a dream that was formed in my heart when I was a young child, a dream that only lasted for a short time, but didn't end how I expected.
The grieving process will take some time. But it has become apparent that I won't truly enjoy the blessings of the future until I deal with the pain of losing something that was important to me. Taking the time to grieve what was lost, I'm opening the door for a new beginning and new blessings. It is important that I take the time to let that dream go and to focus on the truth that God provides.
I often wondered why God made me go back and forth, why didn't he just send me where he wanted me to end up without all the pit stops and detours along the way. Though I may never fully understand the reason and the impact that season of my life has had on others and myself...I do have a better understanding that to truly enjoy the blessings of life you have to experience the hurt and heartache. It takes a drought to appreciate the rain.
God promised Elijah that he would send the rain. In the midst of a three year drought there was a promise of rain...even though it was no where in sight. Elijah sent his servant out to look for a sign that indicated rain was on the way. He didn't find anything and returned back. Elijah sent him again and again. I can imagine that by the fourth time he went to look for the rain, he was frustrated, was mad at Elijah for making him go, and expected to find nothing. But on the seventh time when he went out searching for the rain, he found a little cloud developing in the distance.
1 Kings 18:41-45
Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!" So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, "Go and look out towards the sea." The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, "I didn't see anything." Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, "I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea." Then Elijah shouted, "Hurry to Ahab and tell him, 'Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don't hurry, the rain will stop you!'" And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.
A few weeks ago, my best friend, explained to me the story of Elijah and how his story reminded her of my own.
Elijah knew that God promised rain. Five years ago, I knew that God promised blessing in my own life.
Much like Elijah prayed for God to send the rain, I prayed that God would send me a job and a sense of security for my future.
And very similar to Elijah and his servant it took me several trips to find what I was looking for.
My first year out of college I went out looking for a job. What I found was not what I was looking for. I went back again and again looking for the "rain" that God had promised He would send. Job after job, year after year, it wasn't right. And then as doubt starts to creep in, frustration hits, and I started to get annoyed that I was being sent out again to look for something that I had started to doubt was even there...I found it brewing in the distance.
I lost count, I'm sure it took more than seven times, but finally I found the "rain" that God had promised me. It took four years, countless unsuccessful interviews, and many failed jobs. I went back time after time looking for the perfect job and then one day when I didn't expect to find it...it was there. God placed me in a job that I love going to each day. A job that makes me happy, allows me to live out my passion, and has become my blessing after the drought.
I was like Elijah...
A few weeks ago, my best friend also pointed me in the direction of a podcast by Dr. Ron Walborn. Do yourself a favor and search for the podcast "Grieving the Seasons of Our Lives" on iTunes.
After listening to this podcast, it got me thinking. I was carrying around grief that I didn't even know existed. There was a season in my life and a dream in my heart that I needed to grieve the lost of.
During those five years of going back and forth, each time coming back empty handed after looking for what I need, I started to get upset with God. I suppressed a large amount of sadness that my dream of being a teacher was something that I had to leave behind. I became mad that God took me through job after job and didn't allow any of them to work out. I was upset about the relationships that were made that I had to leave behind with the change of each new job. And when I found my new job, I suppressed all the pain that the searching had caused.
I discovered that I never took the time to grieve the lost of that season in my life. I never took the time to grieve the co-workers and students that I said goodbye to. I never took the time to grieve a dream that was formed in my heart when I was a young child, a dream that only lasted for a short time, but didn't end how I expected.
The grieving process will take some time. But it has become apparent that I won't truly enjoy the blessings of the future until I deal with the pain of losing something that was important to me. Taking the time to grieve what was lost, I'm opening the door for a new beginning and new blessings. It is important that I take the time to let that dream go and to focus on the truth that God provides.
I often wondered why God made me go back and forth, why didn't he just send me where he wanted me to end up without all the pit stops and detours along the way. Though I may never fully understand the reason and the impact that season of my life has had on others and myself...I do have a better understanding that to truly enjoy the blessings of life you have to experience the hurt and heartache. It takes a drought to appreciate the rain.
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