God's Divine Boot Camp

Have you ever felt like God put you somewhere you didn't choose? A season that felt more like a waiting room than a destination? Friend, I've been there too. And I've slowly learned that some of these "detours" are actually where God does his deepest work.

That's exactly where Elijah's story begins. Right out of the gate, God sent the prophet into hiding. Why? Elijah had boldly declared to King Ahab that there would be no rain in Israel except by his word. It was a stunning declaration—and then, almost immediately, God instructed Elijah to hide. "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan" (1 Kings 17:3 NIV).

Kerith was not a stage from which Elijah would prophesy, not the frontlines where he could be a warrior. It was a quiet, hidden place beside a brook. Ravens brought Elijah bread and meat each morning and evening. He drank from the stream. That's it. No platform, no audience, no visible impact.

But here's what I think was happening in that ravine: God was training him.

Hebrews reminds us that "no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11 NIV). The brook at Kerith was Elijah's boot camp. The ravens were God's way of saying, I've got you. Keep showing up.

Maybe you're in your own Kerith right now. A season that looks small, feels hidden, seems like nothing is happening. Can I encourage you? God is not wasting this. He is shaping your character, deepening your dependence, and preparing you for what's ahead.

James puts it this way: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance" (James 1:2–3 NIV). The training is the point. The hidden season has a holy purpose.

So don't despise the ravine, friend. Drink from the brook. Receive what God is providing today. The God who sent ravens to feed Elijah knows exactly what you need—and he will supply it.

Reflect

1. Elijah’s story begins with the Lord sending a physical drought on the land that matched the spiritual drought the people were experiencing. When have you experienced times of spiritual drought? How did God help you to thrive during those times?
2. Like Jesus’s time in the wilderness, have you experienced a season when you felt cut off from important resources or from important people in your life? How did that season help you grow?
3. Bootcamps are uncomfortable—even painful—yet serve an important purpose. What does James say about the purpose of facing trials? As a follower of Jesus, how might you retrain yourself to embrace the hard seasons of spiritual basic training rather than long for the comfortable spiritual “spa days”?

Pray

Lord, I confess I'd rather be doing something more productive and noticeable than sitting in the quiet. But I trust that you are at work even when I can't see it. Train me in this season. Help me receive what you're providing and trust the process. In Jesus's name, amen.

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