Preparing for Power Part 2Sýnishorn

Will You Leave Your Comfort Zone?

In the first part of 1 Kings 17, Elijah has the boldness to tell evil King Ahab that a drought is coming. Elijah then hides alone by a brook, and God meets his needs. God speaks to Elijah again in 1 Kings 17:9 and sends him to a new place. A place named Zarephath, about 100 miles from the brook. And this town is in Sidon, where the evil queen Jezebel is from. It is a pagan place, and its name means “furnace.” Not only that, but the Lord sends Elijah to the home of a widow—they would have been strangers to one another in every way: morally, racially, economically, and of course, she’s a woman. God is testing Elijah’s faith. In part 1 of this plan, we learned that God’s preparations often lead us through valleys of brokenness and pain. And almost every time, they lead us outside of our comfort zones.

God is doing something deep within us so that He can do something powerful through us.

Ask Yourself:

• Where are you most comfortable? With whom?
• Are there activities and people in your life with which you are not always comfortable?
• How do you see God working in both your areas of comfort and discomfort?

Pause to Pray: God, instead of running from the uncomfortable, open my eyes and heart to consider the work You are doing through it.

Take a Next Step: Talk to a trusted friend about taking a step out of your comfort zone. Ask them to pray for you and keep you accountable to the first small step.