Altered Plans

After a significant moment of delivering his message to King Ahab of an impending drought in the land, Elijah could have said, "Lord, let’s get this thing going. Let’s have the face-off with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Let’s go for it."

But there was an interesting twist to the story. Loosely paraphrased, God said, "I have a different plan in mind for you, Elijah. I want you to disappear from the scene for a while. In fact, I want you to go over to this little brook called Cherith and just hang out there."

So Elijah, a man of faith and obedience, went to a place of total obscurity. It doesn’t make sense, yet it makes total sense. Sometimes God will use us, and then He will say, "Now I have to work on you for a while. You are not ready for what I have for you next. I’ve got to whip you into shape a little more." That is what He was doing with Elijah.

Maybe something like that has happened to you recently. Maybe there were cutbacks at work, and you were let go. Maybe you had a ministry that was flourishing, and suddenly it is not flourishing like it once did. Perhaps sickness has altered your plans. You’ve had to make changes, and it seems like the end. You don’t get it. But maybe it isn’t the end at all. Maybe it is a new beginning.

God may have closed a door for you because He has another door ready to open at any time. Here’s what you need to do: Just wait on the Lord and be faithful to Him. Everything we go through in life is preparation for something else. Know that God is preparing you for something in your future.