Digging Deeper – The Ancient Paths

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on February 27, 2026

 

Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will
not walk in it.’

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV)


THE ANCIENT PATHS

In 2 Kings 22, we are told the story of Hilkiah the priest, who stumbles upon the long-forgotten Book of the Law during remodeling projects in the temple. King Josiah is presented with this information by his secretary, Shaphan, who deserves the understatement-of-the-year award when he tells the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” In the scene that follows, Shaphan reads the Scriptures aloud to the king, who tears his clothes and declares, “Great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us” (2 Kings 22:13).

This declaration precipitates Josiah’s sweeping program of reform, which included the tearing down of pagan altars, the removal of idols from the house of God, the deposition of priests who sacrificed to Baal, the reinstitution of the Passover, the renewal of the covenant, and much more. It is a quintessential “ancient paths” moment, as Josiah calls for the nation to repent and to “do according to all that is written” (v. 13).

There are other “ancient paths” moments in the New Testament as well. One that comes to mind immediately is the letter to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2. Jesus tells the Ephesians starkly, “I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first” (Rev. 2:4–5). These words echo the call to repentance found in the examples of Josiah and Jeremiah, which we would do well to bear in mind if we are to be truly repentant.

I remember a time when I was praying persistently for an outcome, asking God to show me what to do in a certain situation. At the time, however, there was sin in my life that I was not taking into consideration. I remember saying things like, “Just show me what to do, God, and I will do whatever you want.” Shortly thereafter, I heard a preacher say, “No, you will not, because he has already told you to do something and you are not doing it.” And it was true. I needed to go back and do the things he had already told me to do, to return to the ancient paths, to do the works I had at first.

Take a moment to reread 2 Kings 22 and to “inquire of the LORD” (v. 13). In what areas do you need to repent of action or inaction? Ask him to make reforms in your heart and to bring about an “ancient paths” moment.

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – Peace When There is No Peace

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on February 26, 2026

 

They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is
no peace.

Jeremiah 6:14 (ESV)


PEACE WHERE THERE IS NO PEACE

On January 28, 2014, a mere two inches of snow caused a full-on logistical breakdown in metro Atlanta. Over the course of 48 hours, more than 1,200 accidents were reported. Stranded students slept on school floors. Shoppers holed up in grocery stores and prepared to stay the night. I left my car immobile on the side of I-75 and walked the rest of the way home, awestruck by the desperate turn of events and the speed at which they unfolded. The incident, dubbed “Snowpocalypse” or “Snowmageddon,” garnered national attention, as Georgia’s lack of preparation became an object of ridicule for news outlets across the country. How could such a thing happen? Did we fail to heed the warnings, or was there a casual dismissal until the threat became imminent? I know for my part the latter is true.

This story came to mind when thinking of the warnings gone unheeded that led to the destruction of Judah by Babylon.¹ Prior to their destruction, God had set “watchmen” (v. 17) over them, saying, “Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet.” The prophet Jeremiah was one of these watchmen, with his ministry ranging from roughly 627 B.C. to 586 B.C. The people of Judah, however, would not listen, not due to ignorance, but rather disbelief and scorn for the word of God (v. 10). Their disbelief was further reinforced by false teachers who proclaimed, “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace (v. 14). To put it simply, the people were gaslit into ignoring the warnings God had sent through the prophets.

Because of their idolatry and tolerance for ungodly practices, they had allowed themselves to become deaf to the word of God, preferring the inoffensive message of false prophets to the offensive message of true prophets. However, God’s repeated warnings were an act of grace.

We ought not be offended by the Word of God or scoff when challenged by teaching that is hard to receive. Christ himself said, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matt. 11:6). Ask God today to help you embrace difficult sayings instead of editing them, or worse, ignoring them.

¹ Note: this is simply an analogy and is not in any way prescriptive regarding the counsel or accuracy of meteorologists. ; )

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

You’re Not in Control

Kevin Burrell on February 25, 2026

 

For we know that when we die and leave this earthly body, we have a home in heaven, an eternal body being (kept for us) by God Himself, not by human hands.

2 Corinthians 5:1

 

YOU’RE NOT IN CONTROL

Imagine you’re on a flight cruising at 550 mph at 35,000 feet. You’re comfortably seated, enjoying your journey with the other passengers. Suddenly, a voice comes over the intercom:

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the world’s first fully automated plane. There is no captain or first officer on this flight. Just sit back and relax—nothing can go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong…”

As the announcement sinks in, a wave of panic spreads through you and your fellow passengers. You look around, gripping your seat in fear while exchanging worried glances with those around you. The thought of being on a plane without a human pilot raises fears of what could happen if something goes terribly wrong.

In a similar way, this picture serves as a powerful metaphor for life. Just like the passengers, we often find ourselves in situations where we feel out of control. We may think we’re safe; however, the absence of guidance can lead to fear, anxiety, and uncertainty.

However, the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 16:25…

“Jesus Christ has revealed His plan for you, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.”

Listen closely. Don’t miss that truth. Lean into it. Chew on it. Allow it to settle deep in your heart. God has a plan for your life! It is He who is writing your story.

You will face storms—whether personal struggles, health setbacks, relational challenges, sudden loss of friends or family members, or financial hardships. However, the key is to remember that, unlike the automated plane, you are not alone. You have a Divine Captain who is always in control. His eye is on you every moment of every day. You are the apple of His eye.

When you put your trust in Jesus, you can find peace in the turbulence of life. Just as the passengers needed to trust the technology, you must trust in God’s plan for your life. Remember, He is the One who is writing your story. He is your guide. He is your Shepherd. He is ensuring that you will reach your final destination safely—no matter the storms you encounter or the storm you’re currently enduring.

So rejoice!

Why?

Because…

“You have a home in heaven, an eternal body being kept for you by God Himself.”

Love God. Love People. Live Sent.

Be Worth Being.

Kevin

 

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 45 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.

Digging Deeper – Thus Saith the Lord

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on February 25, 2026

 

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look…”

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV)


THUS SAITH THE LORD

This week’s reading in Jeremiah 6 demonstrates a literary device that is among the most ubiquitous in the Old Testament, the phrase “thus says the Lord.” It occurs five times in this chapter alone (vv. 6, 9, 16, 21, 22), seven times if you include variations such as “declares the Lord” or “says the Lord” (omitting “thus”). In the entirety of the Old Testament, it occurs over 400 times, not including variations such as “declares the Lord,” “by the word of the Lord,” or “God said,” which would put the number somewhere in the thousands. The point being made is that the Old Testament constantly affirms the divine authority of its message, God’s direct communication to mankind.

This observation is not lost on me. A few years ago, some friends challenged me to read the Bible all the way through in 30 days. There is actually a Bible reading plan for this on the YouVersion Bible app called the 30-Day Shred Plan, if you are interested. Consuming such a concentrated amount of Scripture in such a short time helped me connect things that I had never connected when doing my normal daily devotions on a verse or chapter basis. One of the things I noticed was the abundance of the phrase “thus says the Lord” in the Old Testament and its abrupt discontinuation when you enter the New Testament. Not once does that expression appear in the New Testament, and rightfully so, for the Son of God has come and now he speaks to us directly.

This fact reminded me of Hebrews 1:1-2, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by
the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” The Scriptures abundantly evidence themselves to be the Word of God and Jesus the Word become flesh (John 1:14).

As you encounter the word of God through Jeremiah 6 this week, thank the Father that the Word “dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Amen.

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – The Incredulity of Men

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on February 24, 2026

 

“To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are
uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of
scorn”

Jeremiah 6:10 (ESV)


THE INCREDULITY OF MEN

The words and events of Scripture are echoed in the annals of history, a fact that ought to encourage the believer and rouse the skeptic to curiosity. While reading Jeremiah, I was reminded of the meticulous history of Flavius Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian whose lengthy work, Antiquities of the Jews, recounts the story of his people for a Greek and Roman audience. Often, Josephus offers an extra-biblical perspective on biblical figures and events, including the ministry of Jeremiah and the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. To quote Josephus:

The prophet Jeremiah came often to the king, and protested to him, and insisted that he must leave off his impieties and transgressions, and take care of what was right; and neither give ear to the rulers, among whom were wicked men, nor give credit to their false prophets, who deluded them, as if the king of Babylon would make no more war against them. Now as to Zedekiah himself, while he heard the prophet speak, he believed him, and agreed to everything as true, and supposed it was for his advantage. But then his friends perverted him, and dissuaded him from what the prophet advised, and obliged him to do what they pleased.¹

These details, and there are many more excluded here for time’s sake, help to (1) provide additional, independent context and (2) confirm the historical accuracy of the biblical account. Of course, they are the fallible words of man and not the infallible Word of God, but the careful student of Scripture will find them helpful in understanding the setting of biblical events. In the context of Jeremiah 6, Josephus’ words help to evidence the “uncircumcised ears” (v. 10) of the people and the coming of the “army of the north” (v. 22).

After these events had unfolded, the prophecies gone unheeded, Jerusalem invaded, and the people exiled, Josephus adds this commentary to his text:

We have said thus much because it is sufficient to show the nature of God to such as are ignorant of it, that it is various and acts many different ways, and that all events happen after a regular manner, in their proper season, and that it foretells what must come to pass. It is also sufficient to show the ignorance and incredulity of men.²

History not only serves as evidence of God’s sovereignty, but also reveals the unfolding of his plan of redemption. Be encouraged by the fact that archaeological, textual, and historical evidence consistently supports the reliability of the biblical record.

¹ Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 10.7.2
² Ibid., 10.8.3

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – Hyperlinked Text

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on February 23, 2026

 

Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will
not walk in it.’

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV)


HYPERLINKED TEXT

Popular philosopher and professor Jordan Peterson recently called the Bible “the world’s first hyperlinked text.” While explaining the magnitude of cross-references (instances where a text refers to another text, either directly or by allusion), he said the more a text is cross-referenced, the more pathways through it there are. You can imagine that this explodes exponentially. You might say, “What does a Bible verse mean?” and the answer is that it means whatever it means in reference to all of its cross-references, and then each of those cross-references has cross-references.

It has been posited that there are over 63,779 cross-references within the Bible. Computer scientist Christopher Harrison and Pastor Christoph Römhild teamed up to compile a graph that beautifully shows the interconnectedness of these cross-references (it can be viewed here). While the sheer quantity of textual relationships may seem daunting, I believe the opposite is true. It simplifies the Word. The Bible, though the work of many authors from many periods across many places and written in various languages, becomes the unified work of a single God, summed up in the person of Jesus Christ.

I was reminded of the richness of cross-references while reading our text for the week. In Jeremiah 6:16, Yahweh tells the Israelites, “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” If you have read the Gospels, you probably notice something familiar in these words. Take a moment and try to spot it. Do you see it?

Jesus quotes part of this verse while speaking to a crowd in Matthew 11:29. He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” In the Old Testament, following the “good way” of Jeremiah provides rest for the soul. In the New Testament, following Jesus, who called himself “the way” (John 14:6), likewise leads to soul rest. Why? Because Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets and is himself the good way (Matthew 15:7). It is no wonder, then, that the earliest Christians called themselves followers of “the Way.”

As you read today’s verse, look up the cross-references in your Bible. If your Bible does not have them, try a Bible app like BibleHub. Take a moment to follow a few of them.

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper: All That God is Doing

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on February 20, 2026

 

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”

1 Kings 17:8-9 (ESV)


ALL THAT GOD IS DOING

 

There are moments in life when we make plans, but things don’t go the way we expected. I remember one college ministry event where nearly everything that could go wrong did. The schedule got mixed up, the food didn’t arrive on time, and we were scrambling to make it all work. We even considered cancelling the event. But by the end of the night, students were laughing, sharing stories, and connecting in ways I hadn’t anticipated. In the middle of the chaos, I couldn’t see the bigger picture, but God, somehow, was weaving something beautiful out of the confusion.

That’s a small picture of what’s happening in 1 Kings. After the brook Cherith dries up, God tells Elijah to go to Zarephath. Elijah obeys. The story seems simple. God is providing food and water through a widow. But when you look closer, God is doing so much more than Elijah sees, or than the widow sees.

John Piper has a famous quote that says, “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” At first glance, we might see only three things in this story: Elijah is hungry, the brook dries up, and the widow provides food. But God is working far beyond those visible actions. He is preparing the widow’s heart. He is teaching Elijah trust. He is setting up a moment that will ripple far beyond their immediate circumstances. The widow herself has no idea that she’s about to be used in a story of blessing for generations.

It’s easy for us to feel like our lives are small, insignificant, or invisible. Maybe you’re waiting for God to show up in obvious ways, and it’s not happening. Maybe you feel overlooked, underprepared, or completely unqualified. That’s exactly the space God often chooses for His work. The ordinary, quiet, messy areas of life are where He does His biggest work.

Think about the widow for a moment. From her perspective, she had almost nothing. A little flour, a small jar of oil, and a hungry child. She couldn’t have imagined that the very act of giving what little she had would become a miracle. She couldn’t see the ten thousand things God was orchestrating: the way He was teaching trust, forming faith, and creating a story that would inspire people for centuries. She only knew what she could see. She only knew the three things in front of her.

We are often in the same place. God is orchestrating dozens, hundreds, maybe tens of thousands of unseen events around us. He is protecting, preparing, redirecting, and providing in ways we cannot perceive. And yet, our attention lingers on the three things we can see… maybe the lack, the obstacle, the waiting.

This truth is both humbling and comforting. Humbling, because we realize we are not in control and our understanding is limited. Comforting, because we know God’s control is perfect even when we cannot trace His hand. The provision that seems small, delayed, or inconvenient may be part of a larger plan we can’t yet see.

So how do we live in that tension? How do we trust God when we can only see three things while He is doing a thousand? Start by taking the next step He calls you to, like Elijah walking to Zarephath or the widow opening her home. Obedience doesn’t require knowing the whole plan. It requires trusting the One who knows.

Pay attention to the small blessings, even if they seem ordinary. Ask God to reveal glimpses of His work, not because you’ll understand it all, but so you can participate faithfully. And remember that sometimes being a blessing means showing up in a quiet, unseen way, trusting that God can multiply it far beyond what you imagined.

Elijah went to Zarephath and saw one thing… a widow who could feed him. The widow saw her own poverty. But God saw everything. He was preparing, providing, teaching, and blessing in ways neither of them could fully comprehend. And in that invisible work, both lives were changed forever.

The question for us today is simple: are we willing to walk in obedience, even when we don’t see the full story? Are we willing to trust God with the unseen thousand things while we focus on the three we know? The answer is found in quiet faithfulness, small acts of trust, and the patient expectation that God is at work, even when we cannot see it.

Because here’s the good news: God is always working far beyond what we can perceive, and in His timing, what seemed small, invisible, or insufficient can become a story of faith, provision, and blessing for generations.

Sellers Hickman serves as College & Teaching Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their two daughters. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.

 

Digging Deeper: Long-Term Abiding

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on February 19, 2026

 

7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”

1 Kings 17:7-9 (ESV)


LONG-TERM ABIDING

 

Some moments hit you out of nowhere. One minute you’re relying on something that feels steady, and the next it’s gone. Maybe it’s unexpected car trouble, the Wi-Fi cutting out during an important deadline, or a carefully planned weekend trip falling apart at the last minute. There’s a panicked feeling that everything is off track, and you wonder if you’ll ever get back on course.

For Elijah, the brook Cherith drying up was that kind of moment, but on a much higher stakes level. This wasn’t just an inconvenience; it was his daily source of water and sustenance. He had obeyed exactly as God instructed. He had trusted God day after day. And yet, the very source of provision God had faithfully provided disappears. In that moment, Elijah faces a hard truth: the drying of the brook is not a failure of faith. It is part of God’s design.

The same God who caused the water to flow now allows it to stop. God’s provision is often seasonal, but His presence remains constant. When the brook dries, God speaks again, directing Elijah to a new place and a new form of dependence. The loss of provision becomes the doorway to deeper trust.

This moment reveals a crucial truth: we do not survive hard seasons by a single act of willpower or a burst of adrenaline, but by long-term abiding in God. Elijah does not grit his teeth and force himself forward. He listens. He responds. His confidence is not in what God gives, but in who God is.

Abiding is not passive. It is active attentiveness. Elijah’s life is marked by listening for God’s voice and moving when God speaks. When the brook dries, he does not panic or cling to what once worked. He waits, trusting that God has not abandoned him.

Hard seasons often expose the depth of our faith. If our trust is rooted in consistency, comfort, or predictability, change will shake us. But if our trust is rooted in the character of God, even loss can become an invitation to deeper reliance.

It’s tempting in difficult seasons to try harder, push longer, or rely on sheer determination. But willpower has limits. Eventually, it runs out. Abiding, however, is sustained by relationship. It is nourished by ongoing communion with God.

Elijah’s faith endures because it is relational, not transactional. He does not follow God for guaranteed outcomes, but because he knows God. When one season ends, Elijah trusts that God will meet him in the next.

Abiding may look ordinary most of the time. It’s continuing to pray when answers are delayed. It’s obeying when results are unclear. It’s trusting when circumstances shift. It is faithfulness stretched over time.

For us, abiding means returning to God again and again through Scripture, prayer, repentance, and obedience. Not as religious duties, but as relational practices. Long-term faith is not sustained by emotional highs, but by steady communion.

Elijah’s story reminds us that God often changes the method without changing the mission. When one brook dries up, God is already preparing the next place of provision. Our security is not found in stability or predictability, but in staying close to the God who leads us faithfully through every season.

 

Sellers Hickman serves as College & Teaching Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their two daughters. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.

 

Refocus Your Worry

Kevin Burrell on February 18, 2026

 

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6:34

 

REFOCUS YOUR WORRY

“Don’t worry” may be the most difficult command in the Bible to keep. Everyone has worried. We disobey that command all the time. Why? Because it’s in our nature to worry.

People commonly worry about money, financial security, pending retirement, job stability, health, children, personal relationships, family relationships, death, failure, and rejection.

However, worry has never changed anything. Worry is worthless. It can’t change the past. It can’t control the future. Every moment we spend worrying is a wasted moment of our life.

Listen closely: worry focuses on your fears instead of trusting God. It’s practical atheism. When you worry, you’re acting like an orphan. You’re acting like you don’t have a heavenly Father who has promised to care for all your needs.

When you worry, you think it’s up to you to take care of your problems. That’s not in the Bible; that’s in self-help books—and it’s just not true.

To overcome the power of worry, you have to choose your focus. If you focus on your problems, you’re going to become unstable, fearful, and anxious. The key to overcoming worry is not to say, “I’m not going to worry.” That never works, because you’re focused on what you don’t want. The key is to change the channel. Don’t resist it.

“Refocus!”

Center your focus on God. Trust in His love, goodness, faithfulness, and the promises He has for you. Don’t trust in your feelings—trust in God’s Word, the Bible.

Lock eyes with Jesus today and walk toward Him. You’ll be glad where you end up at the end of the day.

Love God. Love People. Live Sent.

Be Worth Being.

Kevin

 

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 45 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.

Digging Deeper: Obedience and Provision

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on February 18, 2026

 

4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

1 Kings 17:4-6 (ESV)


OBEDIENCE AND PROVISION

 

Have you ever tried to assemble furniture with no clue how to do it? Years ago, right before Emery was born, I found myself surrounded by pieces, screws I could not identify, and an instruction manual that seemed to be written in another language. Halfway through, I sat on the floor, staring at a pile of wood and thinking, “How on earth am I going to get this together before she arrives?” It felt overwhelming, uncertain, and completely out of my control. Yet I knew I had no choice but to start, piece by piece, trusting the instructions would work if I followed them.

That is a little like how obedience can feel sometimes. God asks us to do something, and we are not given the whole picture, just a single step to take today. That is exactly what happens to Elijah after he delivers God’s word to King Ahab.

One of the most challenging parts of Elijah’s season at the brook Cherith is not the loneliness, danger, or even the hunger; it is the uncertainty. God does not sit Elijah down and walk him through a long term strategy. There is no timeline, no list of supplies, no backup plan tucked away “just in case.” Elijah is given no explanation beyond a simple promise that there would be water in the brook and that the ravens would feed him there. What God provides is not excess. It is enough. And it comes one day at a time.

Each morning, Elijah wakes up needing God again. Bread arrives. Each evening, meat comes once more. The brook continues to flow. But nothing is guaranteed beyond that day. Yesterday’s provision does not eliminate today’s need for trust. Elijah has to wake up every morning and choose, once again, to believe that God will be faithful.

That rhythm can feel unsettling, especially for those of us who crave certainty. We like plans. We want clarity. We prefer knowing how things will work out before we step forward. But God seems intentionally comfortable with just enough. He is not merely keeping Elijah alive; He is shaping Elijah’s heart. Before Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he must learn what it means to depend on God in obscurity. Before public faith comes private trust.

Daily provision forces daily dependence. Elijah cannot rely on a past encounter with God to sustain present faith. He cannot say, “God showed up yesterday, so I will be fine today.” Instead, every day becomes a fresh invitation to trust God again. This kind of faith does not feel dramatic or impressive. It does not draw attention. But it is deeply formative.

We can relate to that tension. We often want God to give us more than we need, more clarity about the future, more resources, more margin, more assurance. We assume that having more would make us feel safer or stronger. But Scripture consistently reveals that God values dependence over abundance. Excess can quietly lead us to rely on ourselves. Daily dependence keeps us close.

This pattern appears throughout the Bible. In the wilderness, Israel gathers manna one day at a time. Any attempt to store extra results in rot. Later, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Not weekly bread. Not long term bread. Daily bread. God’s economy is not built on stockpiling or control, but on trust.

Daily obedience is easy to overlook because it lacks drama. It does not feel bold or heroic. It looks like showing up again. Praying again. Trusting again. Choosing obedience when nothing feels new or exciting. But this is how faith is actually formed. Elijah’s confidence before Ahab did not come from a single courageous moment. It was shaped by countless ordinary days of relying on God when no one else was watching.

We are often tempted to despise just enough. We interpret it as scarcity rather than kindness. We assume that if God cared more, He would give us more. But just enough keeps our hearts soft and attentive. It reminds us that God Himself is our source, not our circumstances, not our savings, not our sense of control.

Living on just enough also trains us to stay present. When we are given too much too soon, we are tempted to live in the future. This often leads us to not trust today because we think tomorrow is already covered. But God meets us in the present. Daily provision anchors us where we actually are, teaching us to notice His faithfulness in real time.

Obedience, then, is not a one time decision or a dramatic spiritual breakthrough. It is a rhythm. A daily choice to trust God’s word over our fears. A willingness to wake up again and depend on Him once more. And in that rhythm, God proves Himself faithful, not all at once, but day after day.

 

Sellers Hickman serves as College & Teaching Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their two daughters. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.