It Is Well

Yesterday I was reminded of a season of struggle within our family. It was a time that was especially troublesome for us and I was wrestling with letting go of the situation. I believe all women are inherently "fixers", mothers in particular, but regardless of what I had tried I could not fix this problem. Reluctantly, I had finally come to the place of having to take my hands off realizing that God could absolutely handle the issue without my assistance. These are the scriptures I "happened upon" that day. These are the scriptures that finally settled my spirit and brought me peace of mind. These are the scriptures and the legacy I want to share with you today: 2 Kings 4:8-37 and the story of the Shunamite Woman.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the story let me hit the highlights: She was called a "notable" woman who persuaded the prophet Elisha to eat with her & her husband whenever he passed through the town of Shunem. Not only that, she, with her husband, built a room for Elisha to "turn in to" anytime he was coming through...to use a well-know phrase "keeping the light on" for him. This speaks volumes for her godly character and for the trust and confidence her husband placed in her as well.

Long story short - Elisha was so grateful he wanted to repay her and found out she had no son. He called her to him and prophesied that "about this time next year" she would have a son. She was surprised and excited but I'm not sure she actually believed what the man of God told her. "But the woman conceived and bore a son when the appointed time had come". The son grew and I'm sure was the pride of both mother and father but one day, as life would have it, the son became ill and died while in her lap. Now, there are many aspects of this story that God has highlighted for me but the one that keeps jumping out at this point is the woman's, his mother's, reaction to this situation.

My thoughts began to race while reading verses 20-28. The boy is in the field and goes to his father complaining of a headache. His father instructs a servant to carry him to his mother. The servant took the boy in his arms and carried him to his mother. He lay on her lap until noon then died. She took him up, laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut him in alone and left. "Then she called to her husband and said, 'Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back'. So he said, 'Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath?' and she said" (...are you ready?) "she said 'IT IS WELL'...then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant 'Drive and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.' And so she departed and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, 'Look the Shunamite Woman! Please run now to meet her and say to her is it well with you? Is is well with your husband? Is it well with the child? And she answered IT IS WELL'."

In the end Elisha went to the boy and raised him from the dead but, during my crisis, that was not the testimony I came away with from this story. The testimony I heard at that time was the Shunamite Woman's reply to the questions posed to her as dire trouble, darkness and confusion met her on that day. She spoke in the face of this very real crisis "It is well". When we walk in, and speak out, the truth (It is well) we are not living a lie but calling forth a testimony. She didn't watch what was precious to her die but rather watched God show life through a seemingly dead situation.

We are all faced with dead situations in our lives (both literally and figuratively) but our testimonies come out of how we choose to react to those situations. Then I read in Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary while doing good for, in due season, we shall reap if we do not loose heart." and I am reminded of the old song "It is Well with My Soul" for you see, regardless of our seemingly dead situations we own Life!

A portion from "It is Well with My Soul" by Horatio Spafford

"When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul"..."For Lord tis for thee, thy coming we wait, the sky not the grave is our goal. Oh trump of the angel, oh voice of the Lord, blessed hope, blessed rest for my soul."

Christ has provided the way for it to be "well" regardless of the storms we face. Accept His provision and learn how to dwell in the wellness of His presence. Speaking blessings of a settled spirit for you this day my friend!

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