It Is Well: Finding Certainty Before the Miracle Happens

I settled into my favorite armchair, Bible open on my lap, and reread the story of the Shunammite woman in II Kings 4. Her journey from despair to faith has always intrigued me, but this time, something new stood out. It wasn't just her words that shifted. Her entire perspective transformed as she drew nearer to God's presence.

At home, with her lifeless son lying on the bed, she declared, "It shall be well." What a statement of faith! She didn't see any evidence of life or hope, yet she spoke with certainty. She trusted in God's power, even when circumstances screamed otherwise. That's where faith begins, for her and for us. It starts with a declaration, a bold statement of belief in God's ability to intervene, even when the situation seems impossible.

But she didn't stop there. She didn't just sit by her son's body and hope for the best. No, she took action. She saddled a donkey, urged her servant to hurry, and set off toward Mount Carmel, where Elisha, the man of God, was staying. Every step of that journey was an act of faith. She didn't know what would happen, but she knew she had to move, to actively seek God's intervention.

How often do we declare our faith but fail to act on it? We say we trust God, but we don't take the necessary steps to seek Him or draw nearer to His presence. Faith isn't always passive. Sometimes, it requires us to move and to go where God's presence or intervention is expected. The Shunammite woman's journey reminds us that faith often involves action—obedience, perseverance, and seeking God with all our hearts.

When she finally reached Elisha, her words shifted again. She said, "It is well." Not "it shall be well," but "it is well." What a powerful transformation! She hadn't seen her son raised to life yet, but she knew she was in the right place, at the threshold of God's power. Her faith had grown from a future hope to a present certainty because she had brought her impossible situation directly to the one through whom God typically worked.

What can we learn from this for our own lives? First, faith starts with a declaration. Sometimes, the first step of a miracle is simply declaring what we believe God will do, even when circumstances scream otherwise. We need to speak words of faith, trusting in God's power and promises, even when we don't yet see any evidence of them.

Second, faith requires movement. We can't just declare our faith. We often have to act on it. The Shunammite woman didn't just sit by her dead son and hope. She went. She took action. Our journey toward a miracle often involves taking steps of obedience, perseverance, and seeking God. We need to be active in our faith, not just passive.

Finally, faith finds assurance in proximity to God. As we draw nearer to God in prayer, worship, His Word, or by seeking wise, godly counsel, our faith can transform from a future hope into a present confidence. We start to say, "It is well," because we are in His presence, where all things are possible. The closer we get to the source of power, the more assured our faith becomes.

The Shunammite woman's journey is a beautiful picture of how faith grows and strengthens as we draw closer to God's presence and engage in the process of seeking Him. It's a reminder that our faith isn't just about what we say. It's about what we do and where we go. It's about declaring, moving, and drawing nearer to God, trusting that He will meet us there and work miracles in our lives.