Ever been blindsided by bad news?

One day, you’re on the phone with your dad; the next, he’s in the hospital. 

One week, it’s same old, same old at work; yet the very next Monday, HR informs you your position’s been cut. 

One year, you’re celebrating an anniversary—in your marriage, at church, or in remission—but flip over the calendar and you’ve signed divorce papers, your church doors have closed, or a routine scan has revealed your worst nightmare. 

I get it. With no family history of cancer, I was thrown the biggest curveball of my life when I heard, “You have Hodgkin’s lymphoma.” 

But we aren’t the only ones who have had the rug pulled out from under us.

Have you met Elisha?

One night, he went to bed in peace; the next morning, his servant went outside to do . . . what men do when they go outside. I won’t pretend to know. Instead of inspecting the driveway for cracks, though, he’s met with enemy troops, horses, and chariots surrounding the city. 

You may feel lonely, in a dark spot, your mind consumed with doubts and heart filled with fear—but whenever that’s the case, remember you’re only looking at the shields and swords of the Syrian soldiers.

NOT EXACTLY A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES.

He sprints back inside in his skivvies, and in complete helplessness, shakes Elisha awake shrieking, “What will we do now?” (2 Kings 6:15). 

Maybe you’re asking the same thing today too.

Because of _________, you’re caught off guard, facing a battle much bigger than yourself, and with no plan of attack, clear next steps, or resources at your disposal, you’re panicking. “What do I do now?” 

Don’t miss it: Take your eyes off the shaking servant and narrow in on Elisha. Instead of giving into panic or crumbling into despair, this guy hasn’t flinched or budged an inch. Rather, completely calm and totally collected, he reassures his servant blowing in a bag, “Don’t be afraid! For there are more on our side than on theirs!” (2 Kings 6:16). 

Are you scratching your head too? Looking out the window, we can count along with his servant, and sure, we may not be good at math but 1, 2 vs. . . . 1, 2, 3, 4 . . . yeah, how’d you get to that, Eli? 

Elisha doesn’t even dignify that with a response. He just waves his hand. “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” (2 Kings 6:17). And that’s when his servant looks up and sees an entire hillside around Elisha filled with horses and chariots of fire. 

SAY WHAAAAAAAAT. 

Elisha wasn’t oblivious—he saw this too, but he also saw so much more. 

To be clear: God’s angel armies surrounded Elisha and his servant as they slept peacefully the night before and when their enemy camped out on the nearby hillside just as the rooster crowed. Circumstances looked worse the next morning, but spiritually speaking, circumstances remained the same. 

Elisha could see this whole picture, but his servant could not. 

What do we see today? Only our physical circumstances with our dilated pupils?

Because those thousands of soldiers fully trained to wipe out the entire town by nightfall were what Elisha’s servant saw. Elisha wasn’t oblivious—he saw this too, but he also saw so much more. 

You may feel lonely, in a dark spot, your mind consumed with doubts and heart filled with fear—but whenever that’s the case, remember you’re only looking at the shields and swords of the Syrian soldiers.

However, God calls His people to “set [our] minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2, NIV), which includes recognizing the full reality of our situation—physically and spiritually. Just like Elisha, not only does “the angel of the Lord [encamp] around those who fear him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7, ESV), but “he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go” (Psalm 91:11). 

The only factor that matters is God, who alone holds the final word, and we have the privilege and powerful position to look up to the heavens knowing He’s got our back.

This is the confidence God wants not just for Elijah but for all of His people to realize and live in. Not to give into panic or succumb to the enemy of today, but declare, “Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident” (Psalm 27:3). 

God didn’t remove Elisha’s enemy, and the angel army didn’t slaughter the Syrians, either—both could’ve easily been done, and let’s be real, PREFERRED. God instead illuminated His presence and showed Elisha and his servant all the help they had in the spiritual realm—and that backing was all they needed. 

Is it for us, too? 

All odds may be against you, and things may not look great. I’ve so been there. But even when your demise may look probable, remember . . . so did Elisha’s defeat in the face of these Aramean soldiers. The only factor that matters, though, is God, who alone holds the final word, and we have the privilege and powerful position to look up to the heavens knowing HE’S GOT OUR BACK. 

O Lord, open our eyes and help us see. 

[ Our humble thanks to Tyndale Momentum for their partnership in today’s devotional. ]