Praying in the Hallway

In 2 Kings Chapter 4 there is a story of Elisha taking a trip to Shunem.  There was a super nice lady that lived there who urged him to stay for a meal.  Elisha made it a point that, whenever he travelled to Shunem, he stopped by to eat.   The Shunammite woman recognized that Elisha was a holy man. She talked to her husband about making a room for him, so that he would have some place to stay when he came for a visit.

Elisha was so grateful for her hospitality that he asked her what he could do for her.  She was like, "Nah...I'm good."  So Elisha asked his servant and he explained that the Shunammite's husband was old and she had no son.  So Elisha told her that at the same time next year, she would hold a son in her arms.  She was like, "Nope, don't you lie to me if it's not going to happen."  Sure enough, she became pregnant and a year later she gave birth to a son.

One day her son was out working in the field with his dad and his head started to hurt.  Dad was like, "Take him to his mom."  The boy sat on her lap and died.  She took him up and laid his lifeless body on the bed in Elisha's room.  She immediately called for a donkey so she could go see Elisha.  I'm sure she had plenty she wanted to say to him. When he saw her coming, Elisha sent his servant to ask if she was alright.  She said, "Everything is alright."  At first, I was trying to figure out why she told him she was alright when it was clear that she wasn't.  Then I realized that I don't always tell everyone when I'm not alright.  (Also, I'm alright-ish)

Anywho...when she got to Elisha, she gave him a little 'what for'.  "Did I ask you to give me a son? Didn't I tell you not to let me get my hopes up???"  Oh, how I feel her emotion.  She never asked for a son but this man of God had given her one.  She had asked him not to get her hopes up.  This sounds like a woman who was used to being hurt.  She was used to being  let down.  She had learned not to get too attached to anything that sounded too good to be true.  When she became pregnant and had her son, she must've thought...finally.  Finally, it's my turn to have some joy in my life.  It's my turn for things to work out,  Then...the unthinkable happens.    Her precious son, a gift from the Lord, dies on her lap.  I can feel the heartbreak.

Elisha tried to send his servant to go heal the boy but the Shunammite woman wasn't having it.  She said, "I'm not leaving."  So, Elisha got up and went with her.  When Elisha got to her house, he saw the boy lying dead.  He went into the room where the boy was and SHUT THE DOOR.  He left that poor woman standing out in the hallway.  Can you imagine?  She had no idea what was happening on the other side of the door.  She didn't know what this man of God was doing.  Her precious son was dead and she was left all alone...to wait.

There are several situations that have happened in 2020 that have me feeling the way that I imagine the Shunnamite woman must have felt.  I started off shaking my fist at God asking Him, "Didn't I tell you not to let me get my hopes up?"  I hope you all know that God can handle it when you shake your fist at Him.  God has met me right in the midst of my hurt and frustration.  He has walked right into the middle of these situations and shut the door behind Him.  God is fully capable of revealing His plan to me.  He could show me how He is going to work things out for my good and His glory.   He has chosen not to.  He is asking me to trust Him, even when I cannot see.  He is asking me to pray, fervently, during my time in the hallway.  He is using my time in the hallway, not just to change the situations, but to change me.  

God has been faithful enough to crack the door open from time to time, so that I can get the tiniest glimpse of the work that He is doing on the other side of the door.  He whispered to me this morning that I only have eyes to see through the crack in the door because of my closeness to Him.  

Does God have you in the hallway?  Has He shut the door in your face while He works out things on the other side?  I have some good news for you.  Elisha brought back to life what was on the other side of the door. Had the woman been watching, the way Elisha went about it wouldn't have made any sense.  Sometimes the way God goes about working in our lives doesn't make sense either, but He promises that it will always be for our good.  

Trust Him...and while you wait...pray in the hallway.