When Next Is Now Sample

Day 2: Obeying Through Obscurity

Even though he readily stepped into God’s calling on his life, Elisha didn’t rocket to fame. He didn’t burn his plows and immediately step onto a platform where everyone knew his name. In fact, after Elijah placed the cloak on him in 1 Kings 19, we don’t hear about Elisha again until 2 Kings 2. Some theologians believe six years passed between 1 Kings 19 and 2 Kings 2, but the Bible never gives us a specific number. We just know that during this time Elisha “became [Elijah’s] attendant” (1 Kings 19:21 NIV) — basically an intern. Some might even call it a demotion.

Just because you choose to obey God doesn’t mean your problems disappear. It might even feel like you've invited a whole new set of problems on top of your existing ones! Obedience will not always change your immediate circumstances; however, it will shift your perspective and equip you with the tools needed to step into what comes next.

When we see Elisha again, he’s ready and willing to step up. Not only did he have the confidence to ask for a double portion of Elijah’s blessing, but he didn’t hesitate to pick up Elijah’s mantle (physically and metaphorically) when the time came. The cool part? The very thing God used to call Elisha in the beginning (Elijah's cloak) was the very thing God used for the miracle that would officially begin Elisha’s ministry — the parting of the Jordan River, the exact river the Israelites were told to cross to step into what God had promised them.

You might be feeling really frustrated in your current season. You know God’s called you, but what you see right now isn’t lining up with God’s promises. Despite your obedience and faithfulness, you might feel invisible and unseen. But don’t underestimate those moments, because that's exactly when God is building you for what’s to come. Growth often happens below the surface and behind the scenes and the hidden place is usually the holy place.

Where do you currently feel invisible, and how can you be faithful in that space? What are some ways God has prepared or equipped you in the past for what you're navigating right now? How does that fuel your faith for the future?