Do you remember the game “Hide & Seek”? It’s the game played by one player designated as being “it” closing their eyes and counting to a predetermined number while the other players hide. After reaching this number, the player who is “it” calls “Ready or not, here I come!” and then attempts to locate all concealed players. As a kid, I loved that game; now as an adult, sadly, I catch myself still playing it.
There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” — 1 Kings 19:9
Elijah was running, tired, and stressed. He murdered over 800 of the Queen’s prophets, destroyed places of idol worship, and chastised the people of Israel for their godless living. He then receives a message that the evil Queen Jezebel is hunting for him. So what does the powerful man of God, whose prayers have moved the very hand of the Almighty God, do when faced with such a threat? He does what most of us would have done– He runs and hides trying to find security.
So where’s your hiding place when running?
- Food?
- Blame?
- Low Expectations?
- Work?
When we are in this place of spiritual tiredness, exhausted, and depressed, we tend to isolate ourselves from the people who could strengthen us. It is a lonely place. Often hiding holds me hostage and that can be worst than what I am running from.
With grace, God invited Elijah to reevaluate the place he was in. When God asked, “What are you doing here?”, He was really asking “What are you accomplishing here in this place you are in? What are you focusing on? What are you giving your attention to and what has your mind? These are all good questions to ask myself too.
Hiding shields us from the need to change. Examine your heart today and expose yourself before a loving father. Whatever we focus our attention on will take over our entire mind and influence our decisions. That is why we are instructed in Philippians chapter 4 to think on what things are lovely, good, full of virtue, and worthy of praise. Begin developing habits that change your heart.
Reflection |
Where is the hiding place God is exposing?