In the Old Testament book of 2 Kings, we read of the Shunammite woman and her interactions with the prophet Elisha. The text tells us that the woman’s husband was old and that she had no son. When Elisha desired to repay her kindness he prophesied, that after the passage of one year, she would “embrace a son” (2 Kings 4:11-16). Elisha’s prophecy came about as spoken, and years later, “when the child was grown,” he suddenly died (2 Kings 4:17-20).
The woman laid her son on the bed and prepared to travel as quickly as possible to find Elisha. As she was leaving, she told her husband, “It will be well” (2 Kings 4:23). Already we see her extraordinary faith. Even amid such tragedy, she knows that ultimately, “It will be well.” Once she found the prophet, the first words she spoke were, “It is well” (2 Kings 4:26). Her son died in her arms, his body left on a bed, her heart was broken, but her words only describe faith in God and His servant Elisha.
While it should always be the case, there are tragic moments in life that remind us; God is the only answer. Moments experienced that almost force us the lean on and trust in Him to carry us through. Moments so potentially discouraging or devastating that comfort can only come from God. Yet, even in these dark moments, God’s peace is so powerful that if we remember and fully trust in Him, we can also say, we can believe, and we can know, “It is well.”
Matt Langfield