Faith, Fear, and the Father
For Women by Women
Submitted by Tara Black
May 30, 2025
1Ki 17:3-4 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
When faithful believers encounter difficult times, it is an excellent time to decide whether they will continue to trust God. When I faced the difficulties in January, I reacted badly. I was afraid and uncertain about the future.
In the passage in 1 King 17, we meet Elijah, who was faithful to God and destined to do great things in God’s name. But he was still just a man, a vessel set apart for God’s use, but subject to his humanity and all that entailed.
In chapter 17, Elijah goes to King Ahab and tells him the rain will stop for 3 years. In chapter 18, God sends him back to let the King know the rain will return. In the 3 years, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel made names for themselves. Scripture states “(king) Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.”
Faithfully, the prophet did everything according to the Lord’s instructions, and the Queen didn’t like it.
What does the faithful prophet do when she threatens him? He runs, hides, and begs God to kill him. Fear has set in, and faith has left. Gone are the thoughts of the providential hand of God, the ravens that fed him even when it was against their nature, and the great victory wrought in the denial of rain and the deaths of the false prophets. All that was left was fear.
How God deals with Elijah in this circumstance gives me great hope for my future. His lack of faith isn’t criticized; it is met with understanding. His untrue statements about how he was the only person left on earth who served God weren’t met with rebuke but love. God comforted his child, fed him by the hand of an angel, met him where he was, and gave him peace. The Father came to him and loved and cared for him.
The God of Elijah still provides for His children today, even when they are fearful. May we stay faithful and not be controlled by our fears and maintain our testimonies for those who are watching.
Consider – Set goals, but don’t set them in concrete.
