He Couldn’t Help It - Elisha

Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.

1 Kings 19:21

A young Bible college student was in conflict over what God had called him to do with his life. He sat down in his wise, elderly counselor’s office and told him that he was trying to decide if his calling was to be a pastor or a full-time missionary.

“Young man,” the counselor said, “my advice to you is to be neither a pastor nor a missionary if you can help it.”

The stunned student wondered if his counselor was playing some kind of joke on him. “Why would you discourage me from being a pastor or a missionary?” he asked.

“I’m not trying to discourage you,” the counselor explained. “I have learned that it’s not a good idea to become a full-time minister unless you are truly called to do that. And if God has truly called you to serve in that capacity, you won’t be able to help it.”

Elisha, a young man of means who lived near the wilderness of Damascus, couldn’t help becoming a prophet of the Lord. As Elisha tended his family farm one day, the prophet Elijah approached him and silently threw his cloak over Elisha’s shoulder. Elisha knew what this meant. The Holy Spirit had touched his heart, and he felt ready to leave everything, follow Elijah, and serve God as a prophet.

“First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!” Elisha said. “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you,” Elijah answered (1 Kings 19:20).

How could Elisha forget? He had no choice in the matter, for it was God, not Elijah, who had called him to leave everything and follow him.

When you allow the Holy Spirit free reign in your life, you can do nothing but say yes when God calls you to serve him. How has he called you to serve him? In what sphere of life do you believe he wants to use you to make a difference? How are you cooperating with him to make that difference?