Path to Miracle: Goes Through Uncomfortable Territory by Rick Warren

“Then the LORD spoke his word to Elijah, ‘Go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I have commanded a widow there to take care of you.’ So Elijah went to Zarephath.” (1 Kings 17:8-10a NCV)

When you’re scared to death and vulnerable, you don’t know where you’re going, you don’t know how long it’s going to take, and you don’t know what’s going to happen when you get there, what do you do?

You remember that the path to a miracle is always through uncomfortable territory.

The Bible gives an illustration in 1 Kings 17:8-10: “Then the LORD spoke his word to Elijah, ‘Go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I have commanded a widow there to take care of you.’ So Elijah went to Zarephath” (NCV).

God told Elijah to walk more than 100 miles during a drought through dangerous territory, where everyone knew who he was, and everyone knew King Ahab had a price on Elijah’s head. When Elijah finally made it to Zarephath, he met a poor widow who was going to feed him, but how could she help defend or protect him from a pagan town full of people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him?

Miracles don’t happen when things are comfortable. Miracles happen when things are uncomfortable. Elijah didn’t say, “God, there are three things wrong with this plan. One, you’re sending me in the wrong direction. Two, you’re sending me to the wrong location. And three, you’re sending me to the wrong protection.”

Elijah just obeyed.

The path to a miracle is always through uncomfortable territory.

For instance —
When Moses led the Israelites out of slavery to the Promised Land, they had to go through the Red Sea first.
Before David could slay Goliath, he had to walk onto the battlefield.
God told Jehoshaphat to put the choir before the army, and he’d win the victory. How much faith do you think that took?

Miracles never happen in your comfort zone, when everything’s great and convenient. You don’t need a miracle when everything is settled in your life. You only need a miracle when you’re on the edge, when you’re scared to death, when you’re insecure, when you can get hit at any angle.

Are you at a place right now in your life where things are a little uncomfortable — financially, emotionally, relationally, or physically? You’re a little nervous, a little on the edge, a little insecure. Congratulations. You’re on the path to a miracle!

Just like Elijah, God wants you to obey, so you can see his miracle at the end of the road.

Talk It Over
What is God asking you to do that makes you uncomfortable?
What do you want God to do in your life? How have you expressed your anticipation of his miracle in your life?
Who are the people who can encourage you on the uncomfortable road you may be walking right now?

The Power of Grateful Prayers by Rick Warren

“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace.” (Philippians 4:6-7a NLT)


In Philippians 4:6-7 we find one of the most difficult verses in the entire Bible to obey: “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace” (NLT).


It’s not easy to stop worrying about the often-scary, everyday parts of our lives, but God tells us how in the next part of the verse: “Pray about everything … and thank him for all he has done.” Grateful prayer brings peace. God says, when you start to worry, pray.


Parents understand the power of grateful prayers. Most parents wouldn’t appreciate their children always making requests without saying “thank you” for what they’ve already received. God sees it the same way. He wants us to ask him for what we need and want. More than 20 times in the New Testament, we’re told to “ask” him. But he wants us to ask with gratefulness.


The Bible urges us to be specific in our requests — and our praises. Instead of a simple “thank you for everything,” he wants us to tell him what we’re grateful for. When I say to my wife, “I'm so grateful for you,” she tells me to be specific. She likes to hear what I appreciate about her and what I'm grateful for about her. God does, too. So when you pray, tell God what you’re thankful for. Prayer is one of the most important ways we tell God “thank you.”


Thanking God in advance is a big step of faith. When we have the faith to thank God ahead of time, miracles happen. The more thankful we are, the more God works in our lives. The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of his people. He uses our thanksgiving as an instrument of power in our lives.


So, what are you thankful for?


Talk It Over

• Why do you think gratitude is so important for our spiritual lives? 
• Being as specific as possible, for what are you thankful to God? Spend some time in prayer thanking God for those things. 
• What are some ways you believe God will bless you in the future? Thank God for those things — even before they happen.