Hi, this is Erin, Michelle, and welcome to steps to trusting. Here at steps to trusting it is our goal to point each other, to take active steps in our faith and trusting God more fully. [00:00:17]  

I’m so glad you guys are here. Joining us today. Our conversation today is going to center around the topic of control, which we did speak about on the last show with Kristin. So if you haven’t tuned into that yet, check that out. In that episode, Kristen shared with us how God used a time in her life, where she felt as if she had no control to teach her, to trust him better. [00:00:43]

How does lack of control effect you do situations where you feel like you don’t have control feel overwhelming. This is exactly how Elijah felt in Kings 19. The scenes proceeding, where we’re about to jump in, come with great highs and lows in Elijah’s faith. In a deep low. Elijah has run for his life and we’re going to pick up reading in first Kings 19:9, “There, he went into a cave and spent the night and the word of the Lord came to him.

[00:01:16] What are you doing here, Elijah? He replied. I have been very zealous for the Lord. God almighty, the Israelites have rejected your covenant broken down your altars and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left and now they’re trying to kill me too.”

[00:01:34] God then. It gives him instructions.

[00:01:36]I love this passage in the Bible. In verse 11, it says “the Lord said, go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord for the Lord is about to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind.

[00:01:54] After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then the voice said to him, what are you doing here, Elijah?

[00:02:16]And he replied, I’ve been very zealous for the Lord. God almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left and now they’re trying to kill me too. “

[00:02:30]Do you hear it? And Elijah’s response. Look at all the good things I did and still nothing has changed.

[00:02:38] I haven’t been, I’ve been zealous for you. God, I did what you asked me to do. I did the hard things and yet they’re not changing. Not only are they not changing, they’ve killed all of your prophets and they’re trying to kill me too. Elijah expected, a different response to his obedience. Elijah expected his actions to change things going around him, but Elijah did not have control.

[00:03:05] Elijah wasn’t able to make the people stop doing what they were doing. Elijah  didn’t feel he was  strong enough to protect his own life. And he ran in fear. But God invites him to do something else. When God says that he will pass by God, invites Elijah, to look at the loud and scary things happening around him and to look for God. He allows a powerful wind to come through. And for Elijah to wonder, is that  God.  then after the wind, there was an earthquake and after the earthquake a fire and it wasn’t till a gentle whisper when the Lord was in the whisper in this whisper, Elijah is asked the very same question.

[00:03:56]What are you doing here, Elijah? But Elijah answers the very same way.

[00:04:02] And that’s where I find myself often I find this question of what are you doing here? And I think it’s because of my mistakes or the good things that I’ve done. That find me there. I want to take credit for the good circumstances. I find myself in and I want to blame other  things  for the hard circumstances. I find myself in. It’s an earthly perspective to view what’s happening around me in that way.

[00:04:27] But God, in this passage invites us to look to him, not at the overwhelming circumstances, not to look at our sins or the sins of others, but to look at who He is. And to remember that God has a plan and a purpose for us. And He is in control. 

[00:04:45] Romans 8:28 says, and we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

[00:04:56]So when we find ourselves looking at the circumstances and wondering how we got ourselves in the position we are in, we need to look and to listen for what God is doing in the circumstances. We, you don’t just want to see and give credit to the external things, but to look for God in this situation because if God is working all things together for the good of those who love him.

[00:05:18]Whatever the place that we stand in, whether  we’re happy we’re there, or we’re unhappy that we are there.

[00:05:26] Any circumstance, we find ourselves in. Even if it feels uncomfortable. If it feels we have been pushed there by circumstances outside of our control, we need to change where our eyes are looking. We can reset our eyes onto what God is doing and why God has brought us to these places.

[00:05:45]So often for me, there’s something that I think is true and I let it affect my behavior. This is what happened for Elijah to Elijah blames his circumstances and his inability to change them for the problem that he finds himself in.

[00:06:02] When I look at Elijah, I can feel his disappointment and wanting to be able to control his situation. I can feel his frustration in looking at the circumstances that nothing is changing.  I’m so encouraged that God encourages Elijah to first look at God and to look at who he is. And then he encourages Elijah to look at the truth, not just the circumstances that he can see, but to see that God is working things that Elijah doesn’t even know about.

[00:06:38]In the case of Elijah, it’s true. People are seeking to kill him.  It’s true that he feels alone, but he is not alone.

[00:06:46]His eyes are still focusing on himself in the situation. I think we all find ourselves there, but God is so patient with Elijah. He doesn’t just let Elijah believe that his answer is the truth of his circumstances. God tells him this plan of protection. He tells him that people that are going to be on his team. He gives Elijah some instruction.

[00:07:07] He tells him to go. He gives him some details as of what he’s to do. And he tells him in verse 18, “yet I reserved 7,000 in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed down to baal all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

[00:07:24]In his instruction, he takes what Elijah tells him. And he. Rewrites it, he says, this is what you’re believing Elijah, but that’s not the truth.

[00:07:36]He  shows him the truth of what is happening around him. He doesn’t let Elijah just believe that it’s too hard. And it’s the sin of others that have brought him to the place of fear that he is in. God shows him the truth.

[00:07:54]  God’s actions and patience with Elijah encouraged me greatly in my walk.  We may think. That we are in circumstances because of our failures or failures of others. However, God has a plan and a purpose for us, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.

[00:08:12] What is it right now? That is the lie that you’re believing the script in your head. Why are you here? What is the truth that you need to preach over your situation to remind yourself that God is in control, even when you are not. And God has a plan, even when you can’t see it.

[00:08:31] Wherever you are, no matter the circumstances that brought you there, God can use it for his glory and for your good.

[00:08:42] I’m going to close this in prayer.

[00:08:45] Dear God.   I thank you that you use everything for your glory and for the good of those who love you. Oh God, I pray that we would love have you, that we would seek to know you  and seek to love you. I pray that our hearts would be turned towards you. I pray that if it is our sin, that brings us to a place it’s far from you, that you would show us our hearts and that we would turn to you, willing to obey and walk with you. I pray if it is circumstances that are hard, that have driven us to the places we find ourselves in the same Lord would be true that our hearts would turn to you that we wouldn’t try to trust ourselves, but that we would learn to trust you better.

[00:09:34] You are a good God. And you are a God of love. Thank you for your love for us.

[00:09:41] Thank you that you use all things, hard things and beautiful things all for your glory.   Lord, I pray that you would help us to see. The good that you are working around us to see how our actions could bring you glory.  

[00:10:00] It is in Jesus name that I pray.

[00:10:02] Amen.

[00:10:04]thank you so much for joining me today. If you were encouraged, don’t forget to like, and subscribe, show notes are available at erinmichele.net. I would love to continue this conversation with you. You can find me at steps to trusting on Instagram and Facebook. Knowing the character of God, equips us to take step to trusting him.

[00:10:29]Don’t forget. We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which he prepared beforehand that we would walk in them. I pray that you are encouraged to keep on stepping.