What are You Doing Here?

Though we may feel like this, God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13)
The account being spoken of can be found in I Kings 18, if you wish a fuller reading. I would suggest that you read it, it is a rewarding study, as is all scripture.
Elijah was a man of God who placed a challenge in front of 400 prophets of baal and, with God's help, proves that baal is no god at all, but that God is the only God. This man is faithful through many trials, but when Jezebel, the evil queen of Israel, threatened his life, he ran. When he came to a juniper tree, he laid down and requested that he might die, using these words, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
A short time later, the Lord speaks to Elijah, and simply says, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Elijah was not in the place that God wanted him. God had other plans for Elijah. Elijah, rather than trusting in God to take care of him in whatever circumstances he found himself, ran away from the trials that were facing him.
How often do we run away from our trials? Is it when we see something that is not as God would have it, but, in order to maintain our social status, we let it go? How many times could the people of God, the christians here on the earth, have made a difference, but instead we simply sat by and watched? Like Elijah, we have all had times when we stood for God, stood for the truth, but we also have times when we say, "It is enough."
Who decides when it is enough? It is not us. God is the one who knows us, and knows when it is enough. I Corinthians 10:13 says that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able. When we tell God, "It is enough," either using words or deeds, we are, in effect, calling God a liar. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and we need to have enough faith to stand for God in the trials we are faced with.
For us, the question is posed, "What are you doing here?" Whenever you have the chance to stand for God, ask yourself, "What am I doing here," and don't be afraid to go straight into whatever trial has been presented to you.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This is a very good concept that is very true. There are so many times that I wish I would have stood up for what is right instead of just standing by and watching. It is very hard sometimes to stand up for what is right, but as you quoted, I should think to myself "What am I doing here?". Some trials are harder than others, but as you quoted "God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able". These are very encouraging words because it lets me know that no matter how difficult the circumstance I am in, I can get through it because I have God on my side and with him I can get through anything.
October 5, 2008 at 5:11 PM
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