Greetings, dear friends! I thank God for you and believe that this day will bring you many blessings as you meditate on the word God has given us today.We have been talking about a goal that God has for our lives; His goal is to change and transform us and our character to make us more like Jesus Christ. We also talked about the fact that God allows different situations in our lives that do not fall in line with our reason and understanding. It is not a problem for Him, because He knows how to turn them for our good. Through all of these difficult circumstances and situations He transforms our character and motivates to grow into the likeness of Christ. Nevertheless, it is important to know that our circumstances won’t change unless we change.For this reason we should not avoid all those means God is using to cause the much needed changes in us. Later we will talk about God’s instruments that He uses to make the necessary changes.Now let’s see how God uses all those situations in our lives to do us good. We should not forget that His plan is not simply change our circumstances for good; He wants to change us through the circumstances. It might be that your present situation is difficult and problematic. Understand that God works at re-formation of your character and is not concerned about your convenience. That is the very reason He allows difficulties in our lives.Do you remember the Bible story about Elijah praying for God to send rain after three and a half years of drought? I have often contemplated on shy Elijah had to pray seven times before God answered his request; it says clearly that Elijah prayed in accordance to the promise of God Himself.
«Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, „Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.” Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain»(1 Kings, 18:41-45).
Elijah told Ahab what he had heard from the Lord: “Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” (1 Kings, 18:41).
Nevertheless God did not answer his prayer right away. God did not want to simply change this difficult situation; He also wanted to work in His prophet.It took Elijah to pray seven times to see the confirmation of the expected solution. Number seven is the number that symbolizes fullness or perfection in the Bible. In other words, we can say that until God finished what He wanted to do in His prophet the situation did not change.Elijah did some fighting in prayer so that it could rain after such a long time of drought. It was a fight of faith. It was a test of his faith and trust in God. Is God able to do what He had promised even when there are no signs of change? God’s minister should live by faith and not by sight! For this reason God will allow situations and circumstances in our lives that will test our faith. That is how God makes one into a His servant.Tell me, please, was it difficult for God to answer Elijah’s prayer right away? Was it really necessary for Elijah to pray seven times? Did not God have enough power to solve the problem when Elijah prayed the first time? Without a shadow of doubt, God is able to change our circumstances even before we pray. The truth of the matter is that it is much more difficult for Him to change us that to change our circumstances. As soon as we change, our circumstances change as well.When God finally sent the rain, Elijah was a different man. God has no problem to change any situation; but He is more interested in changing us into the image of Christ. He wants to lift us up. He needs courageous sons and daughters who – like Jesus – spread His Kingdom on earth. God is looking for people whose hearts are full of faith and who do not doubt power and wisdom of the Almighty God. Let’s stop complaining and grumbling about our circumstances; let’s allow God to change us and our character through these circumstances. May God abundantly bless you today!Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
