In 1 Kings 17 it talks about a widow that had no food in her house, and her debtors were coming to take her son.  It says she was preparing a meal for her and her son and they were preparing to die.  The widow was gathering sticks when she met Elijah the prophet.

            1 Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” ¹¹ As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

¹² “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

¹³ Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

When I reflect on these scriptures I think about how many times I prepared to die.  I faced circumstances that seemed unsurmountable .  After my husband left I didn’t think I could make it through life without him and with three kids.  The challenges of work life, home life, and lack of money seemed too much for me.  

Not too long ago I had just gotten paid and the money was gone before I knew it. I was so frustrated and told God “You said you would provide for me and I don’t think you’re doing a good job of that.” It brings tears to my eyes now, that I doubted God for one second. Well, two days later I was walking into church, and a young woman came up to me and said that she had gotten an unexpected check in the mail from a car accident years before, and the Lord had put me on her heart. It brought tears to my eyes, and I was quite emotional and it took me quite a few minutes to compose myself and walk into church.

If you feel hopeless, I urge you to cry out to Jesus.  Ask Him for help, tell him what’s on your heart.  Are you in debt? Are you too tired that you feel like you can’t go on another day? Are you sick? Did your relationship just crumble? Sometimes life just runs us over, and it seems that we can’t go on anymore.  

But you know what? There is hope.  There is always hope.  It says in Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  

He can turn your circumstances around suddenly, and nothing is too great for Him.  If you haven’t asked Him for help, I urge you to cry out to Him today, and watch Him show up in your life.