Is it Well?

During the trials of this year, I’ve had a wonderful woman of God periodically check in on me and she always asks, “Is it well?”  

Sometimes this question comes after a really long, tiring week when my emotions are high and my hope is low. Even though I know she truly cares about my response, I sometimes battle with how “real” I should keep it. Do I share that I wanted to use some unholy words when talking to my co-worker or simply say, “I’m fine” and keep it moving? 

There was a Shunammite woman in 2 Kings chapter 4 who gave a great example of what the response should be, no matter the trial or difficulty.  

The Shunammite woman was a wealthy woman who lived with her husband in Shunem where the prophet Elisha would pass through during his travels. She recognized Elisha was a mighty man of God. Therefore, she extended hospitality towards him out of the goodness of her heart and built a small bedroom for him where he could properly rest and be restored. 

On one of Elisha’s trips, he wanted to thank her for all the care she provided so he had his servant, Gehazi, ask her what could be done for her. She didn’t need anything, so she simply replied indicating that she was content where she was at. She expected nothing in return for the hospitality she provided. 

Elisha still wanted to do something for her. His servant took note that she did not have any children and her husband was of an older age. Considering the times in which they lived, not having children or being barren meant that she had most likely suffered shame at being unable to conceive and that her husband would not have an heir to carry on his name. 

Therefore, Elisha called to her and blessed her by prophesying that she would have a son by the same time the following year.  

Her initial response to Elisha was, “No, do not lie to your servant.” She was basically saying, “This is something I’ve wanted for so long. Do not get my hopes up.” I can imagine that she had long given up on the hope of having a child and resigned to the fact that it was just not meant to happen in her life. 

What hopes have you given up on in your life? What dream have you pushed back to the corners of your mind because life has gone in a different direction? You’ve learned to be content where you are and have made peace with the idea that what you desire must not be in God’s will for your life. 

But God knew the unspoken desires of her heart. The Shunammite woman was blessed to receive a child. Not just a child but a son, an heir.  

However, years later, the son suddenly grew sick and died. The very son that was the manifestation of God’s greatness in her life, the same son whom she asked Elisha not to tempt her with and the very son who served as a reminder of an answered prayer fell sick and died in her arms. 

This would devastate any mother, let alone a woman who had given up on the dream of having kids only to be blessed with one years later. 

I couldn’t help but wonder, why would God bless her with this only to take it away? He knew this day would come when he had Elisha speak over her life because He has each day planned.  He allowed this season of affliction. 

Perhaps you are facing a situation where God provided an answer to your prayer, but it seems as if that same answer has now been stripped away from you. You are back where you started and can’t make sense of it. You’ve been trying to understand why God would allow hurt and pain, but your human mind can’t comprehend it. Why God would give then take away?

Maybe the same thoughts wandered through the Shunammite woman’s mind. If they did, her response said otherwise.  

She called to her husband to ask for a donkey so she could immediately visit Elisha. Her husband didn’t understand and questioned why she would be going to see the man of God outside of the sabbath or new moon which were the holy days in which you inquired of God’s messengers. 

She simply said, “It will be well.”   

Wow. 

She didn’t grow hysterical. She didn’t cry out in despair. She didn’t use unholy words to her servant. She didn’t even tell her husband what happened. She simply declared faith over the situation and went into action. She went to see Elisha. She sought the counsel of the same man of God who spoke over her before. She probably figured, if God anointed him with the power to bless her with a son, God could give him the power to restore her son. 

Again, wow! 

Talk about resilience. Talk about determination. Talk about faith. Even though this woman was given a gift that was suddenly taken away from her, she responded in faith. She didn’t give God the side-eye (like I would have) or wallow in despair and invite her husband to wallow with her. No, she proclaimed faith that it will be well and went after her blessing.  

Go back to the hope you have given up on or the dream that has been deferred. Instead of accepting defeat, speak life over it. Speak God’s power and miraculous word over the situation. If God gave the Shunammite woman the hidden desires of her heart and restored what she lost, He can definitely do it for you. He can provide the dream job, make your dream home available within your budget, open doors for that ministry, restore that relationship and mend your broken heart. The list goes on. Nothing is too hard for God! 

Next time, I receive that sweet text asking, “Is it well?” My response of faith, no matter the trial, is going to be “It will be well.” 

Click here to watch my YouTube video on this topic!