Trusting God Amid Uncertainty and Hardship

In times of uncertainty and loss, it’s natural to want control over our circumstances. Fear often drives us to seek ways to manipulate outcomes, even in our relationship with God. Yet, the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17 reminds us that God calls us to trust Him, not to control Him. Elijah boldly confronted King Ahab, declaring a drought as a direct challenge to the false god Baal, believed to be the god of rain. God then led Elijah into hiding, providing for him in miraculous ways—first through ravens bringing food and a brook supplying water, and then through the generosity of a destitute widow in Zarephath.

Elijah’s journey was not one of escape from hardship, but of faithfulness in the midst of it. He endured the same drought as everyone else, yet God sustained him daily. The widow, too, was at her last, preparing to die with her son, but she trusted Elijah’s word and God’s promise. Her meager supply of flour and oil never ran out, a testament to God’s faithfulness in the most desperate situations.

This narrative challenges the belief that following God exempts us from suffering. Instead, it reveals that God’s provision often comes in unexpected ways and through unlikely people. The brook may dry up, the job may end, the resources may dwindle, but God remains sovereign and attentive to our needs. The story also confronts our desire for immediate relief; Elijah and the widow endured three and a half years of drought, yet God’s provision was steady and sufficient.

Ultimately, the call is to trust God’s character and promises, even when circumstances seem dire. Like Horatio Spafford, who penned “It Is Well with My Soul” after unimaginable loss, we are invited to find peace not in the absence of trouble, but in the presence of a God who cannot fail. Our faith is not a tool for control, but a posture of surrender, knowing that God will make a way—somehow.

Key Takeaways

• 1. True faith is not about controlling God or our circumstances, but about surrendering our fears and trusting His sovereignty. When we try to manipulate outcomes through religious acts or prayers, we miss the deeper invitation to let God be God in our lives. Surrender is the antidote to fear-driven control. [16:11]
• 2. God’s provision often comes through unexpected means and unlikely people. Elijah was fed by ravens—unclean, unreliable birds—and later by a poor widow with nothing left. This reminds us that God’s resources are not limited by our expectations or the world’s standards. [23:35]
• 3. Enduring hardship is not a sign of God’s absence, but an opportunity to experience His faithfulness. Elijah and the widow lived through the same drought as everyone else, yet God sustained them daily. Our struggles do not disqualify us from God’s care; they become the context for His provision. [32:47]
• 4. God’s timing and methods may challenge our desire for immediate relief, but His provision is always sufficient. The drought lasted over three years, yet the flour and oil never ran out. We are called to trust God’s process, even when it stretches longer than we would choose. [34:44]
• 5. The ultimate peace comes not from changed circumstances, but from a soul anchored in God’s goodness. Like the hymn writer who declared “It is well with my soul” amid tragedy, we are invited to rest in God’s unchanging character, knowing that even when the brook dries up, He remains faithful. [39:52]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [11:42] - Celebrating Our Youth and Sports
• [12:56] - Team Jerseys and Community Spirit
• [13:36] - Only One Champion
• [14:16] - Introduction: When the Brook Dries Up
• [16:11] - The Illusion of Control and Fear
• [18:41] - Elijah Confronts King Ahab
• [20:07] - The Evil of King Ahab
• [22:16] - God’s Unusual Provision: Ravens and the Brook
• [24:50] - The Brook Dries Up
• [26:45] - God Sends Elijah to Zarephath
• [29:15] - The Widow’s Desperate Situation
• [31:24] - God’s Promise: Flour and Oil That Never Run Out
• [32:47] - Lessons from Elijah and the Widow
• [36:41] - The Showdown on Mount Carmel
• [39:52] - “It Is Well with My Soul” – Trusting God in Loss
• [41:47] - Closing Prayer and Song

Bible Reading

1 Kings 17:1-16 (ESV) —
> 1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”
> 2 And the word of the LORD came to him:
> 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.
> 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
> 5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan.
> 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
> 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
> 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him,
> 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”
> 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.”
> 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
> 12 And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”
> 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.
> 14 For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’”
> 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.
> 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.

Observation Questions

1. What was the message Elijah delivered to King Ahab, and why was it significant in the context of Israel’s worship of Baal? ([18:41])
2. How did God provide for Elijah after he announced the drought, and what was unusual about the means of provision? ([22:52])
3. When the brook dried up, what did God instruct Elijah to do next, and who did God use to provide for him? ([26:45])
4. What was the widow’s situation when Elijah met her, and how did she respond to his request? ([30:43])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God chose to provide for Elijah through ravens and a poor widow, rather than through more “reliable” or wealthy sources? What does this say about God’s ways? ([23:35])
2. The widow was preparing to eat her last meal and die, yet she chose to trust Elijah’s word. What does her response reveal about faith in desperate circumstances? ([31:24])
3. Elijah and the widow both endured the drought along with everyone else, even though they were faithful. What does this suggest about the relationship between faithfulness and suffering? ([32:47])
4. The provision of flour and oil lasted for “many days,” but the drought continued for over three years. What might this teach us about God’s timing and the way He answers prayers? ([34:44])

Application Questions

1. The sermon talked about our desire to control outcomes, even in our prayers and religious actions. Can you think of a time when you tried to “control” God or your circumstances through your faith? What did that look like, and what was the result? ([16:11])
2. God’s provision came through unexpected means—ravens and a destitute widow. Are there ways God has provided for you in the past that surprised you? How did that impact your trust in Him? ([23:35])
3. The widow had to act in faith before she saw God’s provision. Is there an area in your life right now where you sense God is asking you to trust Him before you see the outcome? What would it look like to take that step? ([31:24])
4. The brook dried up for Elijah, even though he was obedient. Have you ever experienced a “brook drying up” moment—when something you relied on ended or failed? How did you respond, and what did you learn about God in that season? ([25:28])
5. The sermon challenged the idea that following God exempts us from suffering. How does this truth affect the way you view your current struggles or disappointments? ([32:47])
6. The story of Horatio Spafford and the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” was shared as an example of finding peace in God, not in circumstances. What helps you anchor your soul in God’s goodness when life is hard? ([39:52])
7. Surrender was described as the antidote to fear-driven control. What is one area of your life where you need to surrender control to God this week? How can the group pray for you in this? ([16:11])