It Is Well With My Soul

There’s a story in 2 Kings 4 in which a woman from Shunem (double resting place)  perceived Elisha the prophet (a shadow of Jesus) was a man of God and prepared an upper room for him on her roof inviting him to stay when he passed through town. 

Elisha saw her trust and wanted to do something for her in return. So, he prophesied she would have a son a year later. Of course, she became pregnant, bore a son and the child grew. But one day while her son was out in the field with his father, he fell ill and later ended up dying in his mother’s lap.

Immediately, she brought him to Elisha’s upper room and laid him on his bed (rest/peace) while she sent for a servant and donkey to go out and find the man of God. Her husband, not knowing their son died, asked why she was rushing out and she answered, “It is well.”

When she finally found the man of God, and he asked her if everything was all right, she responded, “It is well.” She knew he would bring the presence of God upon her son and raise him from the dead. And he did. 

Elisha first had his servant lay a staff on the boy’s body, to no avail. That’s because the staff was just a shadow (and represents the law; the old covenant). But once Elisha himself went and stretched himself upon the boy, he was brought back to life. 

What’s the point? The point is that Elisha who represents Jesus was the substance the woman needed for her son. He came physically and became his life. There’s more to the story that so beautifully points to Jesus’ finished work that avails all for you. 

But I really want to highlight the woman’s response, while in affliction, before her son was raised back to life. Even while he lay lifeless, she said, “It is well.” This phrase is actually the Hebrew word “Shalom.”

Shalom means peace, safety, health, wholeness, completeness and prosperity. It’s Who Jesus IS. She trusted not only in God’s ability to save her son, but His willingness. She was at rest in the middle of her greatest distress.

You can be too. Jesus is your gentle Shepherd and overseer of your soul. He paid for your peace. That very difficult situation or ailment you’ve been stressed out about, is His battle, not yours. And He already finished it.

It’s His responsibility to feed, lead, shield and care for you and your loved ones. You need only to let go and consent. HE will bring it to pass in an exceedingly, abundantly, supernatural way.

When you stress, you’re ultimately saying, “I’ll take care of this. It’s too big for You Lord.” But usually the root goes deeper. Our hearts are believing wrong. We’ve forgotten about His deep love for us. We’ve forgotten we are forgiven, favored and made the righteousness of God in Christ. We’ve forgotten Whose and who we are.

Just like John, the beloved, who penned by the Holy Spirit in 3 John 1:2 (AMPC), “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers,” Jesus wants you to be in full bodily health, thriving in His resurrection life. But first comes prosperity in your soul. 

Your soul is your mind, your will and your emotions. Your soul is also the breath of the Almighty’s life within you. The very breath that brought Adam to life from the dust (Genesis 2:7). Beloved, if you need to be revived from the dust; if you need His fresh breath from heaven, you need to first let go and let Him. 

We love to quote Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I AM God.” But did you know the word for “be still” is a Hebrew word meaning “to let go, let drop and relax.”  It’s the verb of the same Hebrew word that means healing and health.

Child of God, when you let go of all that is keeping you knotted up and knocked out, giving it fully to Jesus, you’ll fully recover your soul and find your health restored seven-fold.

Today, I am praying John’s prayer -and your Father’s heart – for you:
“Beloved friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and that you continually enjoy good health, just as your soul is prospering” (TPT). 

Now cast every care on Him because He cares for you more than you ever could for yourself or the ones you love.

Resting In His Love,

Annalee Reyes