Many Days

I was recently struck by a phrase I read in the Bible. 1 Kings 17:15 describes the mighty prophet Elijah having to wait out a severe famine in the home of an impoverished widow and her son in a Baal-worshipping city near Sidon. Elijah had boldly preached to the wicked King Ahab at his royal palace (1Kings 17:1). As a result, Ahab wanted to kill him, and the prophet had to beat a hasty retreat into the wilderness. When the water from the Brook Cherith eventually dried up, God instructed Elijah to relocate to the Gentile city of Zarephath.

Scripture states, “Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days.” Elijah surely anticipated that his stay would be brief. After all, he was focused on bringing revival to Israel, not Sidon. Elijah was a great preacher, not a professional houseguest. He had work of national importance to complete, not a ministry to widows. Yet God left him in that place for “many days.”

Elijah is known for the magnificent things he did throughout his illustrious career. He declared a 3 ½ year drought that humbled a nation. He prayed fire down from heaven on several occasions. He ended a drought. He raised the dead. He left earth in an unusual manner. Yet this short phrase is a reminder that most of Elijah’s life was not spent on the mountaintop but in humble settings such as a wilderness or a widow’s home. God left him for many days in an extremely ordinary place.

Would God consign his premier servants to ordinary posts today? Would he leave them there for extended periods when much work remains to be done elsewhere? We may be confused when God seemingly keeps valuable servants on the sidelines. What if he places us somewhere ordinary and leaves us there? What if we feel ready to move on, but God seems content for us to remain where we are?

I recently heard a story of a faithful pastor who served the same congregation for 35 years. He did a good job. People loved him. Occasionally, pastor search committees would reach out to see if he was open to moving. He wasn’t opposed to a new assignment, but he never felt that God was releasing him from his current post. So he remained.

At times, God would do more if his servant would stay put for longer. I know people who get itchy feet after 18 months! They are always gazing toward the horizon in search of whatever is next. But because they never remain at any assignment for very long, they don’t accomplish much. They typically don’t change or grow significantly either. They just keep having the same 10-month experience on repeat. Sometimes you have to plant yourself somewhere for a while to accomplish something of consequence.

There are dangers in staying in one place for too long. You might grow complacent. You may become distracted. Every divine assignment presents both dangers and opportunities. The key is to embrace whatever assignment God gives you. Don’t constantly look for something new to do. Stay at your post and remain alert to all God has in store. He will let you know if or when it’s time to move on.

In the meantime, understand that it’s not a punishment or a sin to remain “many days” at the same assignment. In fact, wonderful blessings become possible at such times. Has God left you “many days” in the same place? Have you been faithful? Are you still growing? Is your role expanding?

Never lose the wonder and gratitude that almighty God would have any assignment for you in any place for any amount of time!