Undoubtedly, even the strongest among us can experience moments of weakness and discouragement. In this devotional, we will explore four questions that God posed to individuals facing discouragement. These questions are guiding and reveal much about what God expects from you during times of despair.
“What doeth thou here?”
“And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, ‘What doest thou here, Elijah?‘” (1 Kings 19:9 KJV)
This is the question God asked Elijah when he was fleeing from Jezebel, having left his servant and taken refuge in a cave. No matter how discouraged you may feel, God expects you to be where He has appointed you. Never abandon your ministry due to fear or discouragement. God expects you to keep trusting and persevering.
“What do you have at home?”
“And Elisha said unto her, ‘What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house?’ And she said, ‘Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.'” (2 Kings 4:2 KJV)
This is the question the prophet Elisha posed to the widow of another prophet. Often, what you need to overcome your situation is within you. In moments of crisis, God doesn’t necessarily require external resources; you may already possess what you need at home. Don’t look too far; you have all you need within.
“Where have you laid him?”
“and said, ‘Where have ye laid him?’ They said unto him, ‘Lord, come and see.'” (John 11:34 KJV)
Jesus asked this question of Mary and Martha when they were grieving the death of Lazarus. There’s a challenging aspect of your life that God wants to address, a place in your life where He wants to work. Don’t hide the difficult parts of your life; open them up and allow God to speak into them. Lazarus came back to life when the Lord spoke over him. Your life can be restored; let God in!
“What do you have in your hand?”
“And Moses answered and said, ‘But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, “The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.”‘ And the LORD said unto him, ‘What is that in thine hand?’ And he said, ‘A rod.'” (Exodus 4:1-2 KJV)
God posed this question to Moses, representing those who have lost self-confidence and self-esteem due to their life experiences. Moses had resigned himself to a life tending another man’s flock, having given up on his calling to deliver Israel. The lesson from this question is clear: no matter what you’ve been through or what’s happened, don’t give up on your dreams and aspirations.
Stay blessed.
