After Your Prayer Is Answered

When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” 1 Kings 19:1-2

I am currently reading the story of the prophet Elijah and the miracle of him praying for the rains to come upon the land.  He continued to pray and send his servant seven times to see if a rain cloud was approaching for he had enough faith in the God of heaven to know that when we asked in faith, God would move.  We all know that the clouds did indeed come and showered the land with rain.  What most of us don't do is continue reading the story.

You see, we love reading and hearing about prayers being answered, but we rarely ever hear much about what takes place after the answer has come.  In our minds we tend to believe "they lived happily ever after" when in reality the answer to prayer may have brought only new challenges to face!

We find King Ahab is so excited about what he has witnessed God do through Elijah that he tells Jezebel.  Well, we all know she was an evil queen and did not love God.  This power created fear in her heart and so she vows to kill Elijah!  Here stands Elijah who has prayed to God for the people, watched God bless the land with rains, and now he is facing his own demise.  This does not sound right.  Due to this threat, Elijah is forced to run for his life. 

I cannot imagine that he thought one time that when this amazing blessing arrived there would be someone who wasn't happy about it, but we find that is all too true even in our lives today.  Maybe God will bless you with a spouse, a job, pay off your debts, a house, a car, or even better restores your health for you to only find those who are jealous and even like Jezebel, afraid by what God has done in your life.  Today, I caution you to be ready for when blessings come, a new level of responsibility comes with it.  

Now don't be discouraged, for God will always help you.  If you continue to read Elijah's story angels actually took care of him and fed him along his journey.  God will NEVER leave us nor forsake us.  When the challenges come that we didn't anticipate, remember, they were NEVER surprises for our Creator!