DAY 5: Go. Return.
DAY 5: Go. Return.
READ SLOWLY - 1 Kings 19:15 - 21 and James 1:22 - 25
God didn’t restore Elijah so he could live in the cave. “Go back the same way you came” (1 Kings 19:15). God gave him real work to do and a person to walk with. Elijah found Elisha plowing a field, and Elisha went with him as his assistant.
The cave can be a place where God meets you. It isn’t meant to be where you stay.
For some of us, returning means coming back to church after being hurt. For others it’s reengaging with our family, picking up a calling we set down, or finally calling a counselor. Most of the time it isn’t dramatic. It’s one step.
I want to be careful here. Returning doesn’t mean going back into something unsafe. If a relationship or situation is abusive or harmful, God is not asking you to walk back into it. Recovery also isn’t on a deadline. God gave Elijah food for the journey before he gave him the next step.
Read James 1:22, another verse worth knowing for your faith journey. When Scripture is clear, don’t keep waiting. Obey. When a thought in prayer would lead to a big decision, take time and get wise counsel before you act.
God meets us in the quiet, then sends us back out.
BE QUIET
• Set a timer for five minutes, or a shorter time if you need to. Read 1 Kings 19:11 - 18 slowly.
• Tell God honestly what the cave has been saying to you.
• Ask, Jesus, where are you asking me to return? Then be quiet.
• Start with what you already know from the Bible. Some of you already know the person, the conversation, or the place.
A possible next step to consider in light of Scripture:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
YOUR NEXT STEP
If your step is something Scripture already makes clear, like reconciling, coming back to church, or getting help, take it this week. If it’s a bigger decision, share it with someone you trust and give it time. Either way, tell someone what you’re thinking.
PRAY
Lord, thank you for meeting me in the cave and not leaving me there. I’m scared to step out, but I want to obey you. Give me strength for the next step, and wisdom where I’m not sure yet. Go with me. Amen.
I hope you have heard the voice of God to your spirit this week. I hope you have felt His presence. If you have not, that is not evidence to stop this practice, it is a spark to press in further next week. Final question is this, if hearing the voice of God is the most VITAL resource in this whole life, what could you do to prioritize these types of moments into a lifelong habit?
READ SLOWLY - 1 Kings 19:15 - 21 and James 1:22 - 25
God didn’t restore Elijah so he could live in the cave. “Go back the same way you came” (1 Kings 19:15). God gave him real work to do and a person to walk with. Elijah found Elisha plowing a field, and Elisha went with him as his assistant.
The cave can be a place where God meets you. It isn’t meant to be where you stay.
For some of us, returning means coming back to church after being hurt. For others it’s reengaging with our family, picking up a calling we set down, or finally calling a counselor. Most of the time it isn’t dramatic. It’s one step.
I want to be careful here. Returning doesn’t mean going back into something unsafe. If a relationship or situation is abusive or harmful, God is not asking you to walk back into it. Recovery also isn’t on a deadline. God gave Elijah food for the journey before he gave him the next step.
Read James 1:22, another verse worth knowing for your faith journey. When Scripture is clear, don’t keep waiting. Obey. When a thought in prayer would lead to a big decision, take time and get wise counsel before you act.
God meets us in the quiet, then sends us back out.
BE QUIET
• Set a timer for five minutes, or a shorter time if you need to. Read 1 Kings 19:11 - 18 slowly.
• Tell God honestly what the cave has been saying to you.
• Ask, Jesus, where are you asking me to return? Then be quiet.
• Start with what you already know from the Bible. Some of you already know the person, the conversation, or the place.
A possible next step to consider in light of Scripture:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
YOUR NEXT STEP
If your step is something Scripture already makes clear, like reconciling, coming back to church, or getting help, take it this week. If it’s a bigger decision, share it with someone you trust and give it time. Either way, tell someone what you’re thinking.
PRAY
Lord, thank you for meeting me in the cave and not leaving me there. I’m scared to step out, but I want to obey you. Give me strength for the next step, and wisdom where I’m not sure yet. Go with me. Amen.
I hope you have heard the voice of God to your spirit this week. I hope you have felt His presence. If you have not, that is not evidence to stop this practice, it is a spark to press in further next week. Final question is this, if hearing the voice of God is the most VITAL resource in this whole life, what could you do to prioritize these types of moments into a lifelong habit?
Posted in Daily Devotional