Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Lead

One of my favorite leaders in the Bible is Elijah. You can read his story in 1 Kings. During this time in the nation of Israel, the character of the leaders and the spiritual condition of the people were terrible. They were worshipping idols and being led by wicked men. But Elijah was different. The name Elijah means “The Lord is my God.” God was building Elijah into the leader he needed to be to confront the people’s sin, lead them into repentance, and back to worshipping God. 1 Kings 17:1-7. God sent a drought into the land and told Elijah to go away to a stream in the desert. So, Elijah did what God told him to do.Just like Elijah, God has given you an invitation to follow Him. To be a faithful leader, you must accept the call God has given you. Elijah is taken out of his comfort zone. There’s a process to preparation. There’s growth that needs to take place. We see this in Moses’s life as well. One of the greatest lessons God will let you learn is to be alone and realize that He’s the only One you can count on and all you need. God is teaching Elijah to trust His provision. God may not be giving you everything you want, but He’s giving you everything you need. God took Elijah to Kerith to teach him a lesson and to protect him. God’s invitation will always take you outside of your comfort zone. Elijah is cut off and alone, and the stream dries up. If you’re following God but things are difficult, it’s not because He’s punishing you; He’s preparing you. God wants Elijah to depend on Him, not on the stream. When the stream in your life dries up, remember that God has a bigger plan, and He always comes through. It’s easy to follow God when things are good when all of our needs seem to be met, but you don’t learn or grow when things are easy. When you believe God is preparing you, you know He’s about to do something great. God was helping Elijah become a leader who would transform the nation. Don’t see your circumstances as bad luck; God may be using them to take you to another level of faith, trust, and maturity. God has something planned for you. Don’t miss it!