The Shunammite’s lifestyle by Regina Moore, March 2 Issue 2 Vol 3

2 kings 4:8-37
Reading the story of the Shunammite woman in the above scripture, I notice a lot of good traits that women moving towards greatness can emulate. Without beating around the bush let us examine the character of this woman that made her victorious in her own capacity.

She was a notable woman: verse 8 ‘’Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman and she persuaded him to eat some food so it was that as often as he passed by, he will turn in there to eat some food’’.

Being notable does not happen overnight. This woman must have built up herself in her sphere of influence, walked in her place of purpose; which is the seat of rising. She must have added value to herself which has brought her to the place of notability. This should be the desire of power women to be notable and influential for the Lord to your generation.

She was hospitable: verse 9-10 ‘’And she said to her husband look now I know this is a holy man of God who passes by regularly please let us make a small upper room on the wall and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lamp stand so it will be whenever he comes to us he can turn in there’’. She opened her house to the man of God, making sure he is comfortable whenever he passes by. With the hustle and bustle of life especially in Europe and America it’s a challenge to make time to be kind and hospitable to people. People work hard with some having two to three jobs with not much time to socialize more so to entertain strangers. The poverty in Africa can put a wall to hospitality as people don’t have enough for themselves. 

The Shunammite woman used this door of hospitality which attracted favour with the man of God. Verse 13 ‘’ Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care what can I do for you?...’’  Furthermore in this verse he asked her (in my own words) ‘’can I talk to the king for you or the army general any special request, that you might need the people in high places for connection? He was about to connect her to the people of influence in their society. In our day we can say she was about to be connected to the president, to be linked to Buckingham palace, to have favour in the white house! Yes this was a great privilege.  She had a greater need and her hospitality has opened the door to her miracle. She did not have a child, which only God can give not people in high places.

Verse 14: ‘’and Gehazi answered she has no son and her husband is old’’. The man of God prophesied to her that ‘’this time next year she will have a son’’. Even though she doubted, God's mercy prevailed and she had the child just as the prophet said. You might have been praying for some things  in life, waiting on the Lord for a long time on a particular issue. You might have desired favour in high places; you never know what your hospitality can bring you. Open your heart, then open your doors, if God is leading you open your rooms, make time for other people’s need. You don’t have to have much to be kind and hospitable, you only need a good heart of giving and God will send you a blessing. Go be a hospitable woman.

She has stability in crisis: verses 19-37, explains how she handles things when she has a great crisis. Before I learnt how to fully put my trust in God and believe His word totally without hesitation, I was an unstable woman. When my kids were sick, I would carry the worry story to all and be restless when I get news from afar that does not seem ok. I was part of the worry bunch but praise the Lord! I have dropped the burdens at His feet, He neither slumbers nor sleep why should I stay awake and worry about what? I now grasp the truth about total and absolute trust In God. That’s the exact character principle that this woman had when her son was sick and died.
I wondered why the man called for her when the boy was sick. He is the father he can also look after him. There was something about this mother that daddy had to send for mummy to come and take the sick child. She took the child home and nurse him on her laps for several hours verse 20 says ‘’ he sat on her knees till noon’’ God knows from when.

She did not scream and called the neighbours, she did not send the servant to call her husband back from the farm to come home to the sick child. She was so stable therefore she could think clearly about what step to take and what decision was appropriate at this time of crisis. Women are full of emotions we display them at various times in life. In crisis we can get out of balance in our emotions, in our thoughts, your thinking can run wild not knowing what to do. What brings in the stability of mind and emotions is faith and absolute trust in God. This was what this woman had.

She spoke the right words: It’s very easy to speak what you see and just announce your situation to call the attention of your loved ones. This woman did the opposite she spoke the language of a faith - filled woman.  When her husband asked her ’’why are you going to the man of God today’’? in verse 23 she could have said  ‘’you better come home as  fast as you can the child is dead’’ but she was so comported and stable that she said ‘’it is well’’ She did not tell him about the dead child. What are you saying in your moment of crisis? What you say is what you will get. If you call the situation well it will be well. It might not look well, or sound well. A dead child is the last situation your flesh will call well but say ‘’ it is well’’ in total trust in the God of all situations. Keep a calm mind and attitude so you can think clearly. If you are unstable you can’t make the right decisions in times of crisis.

She is a go getter: verse 22 ‘’Then she called to her husband, please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys that I may run to the man of God and come back’’. She did not sit at home and cry when the child died. She went to the man of God and refused to leave him till he agreed to come with her. When there is a crisis and the Lord has led you as to what to do don’t sit and wait for all the confirmation letters from friends and relations or church members, go ahead and do it. She straight away went to the man of God and bid him come over to hers. She got her miracle - the dead child came back to life.

The above woman is not a special case in the bible. She is like any woman who has her heart fixed on God and desires the best for her life. Crisis doesn't choose who to come to, but how you handle it will determine your end. It can be your time of rising to another level or the enemy can use it to crush you. If we learn from the above Shunammite woman’s lifestyle, how she handled her situation in such an excellent manner we will be victors instead of victims. You can use every crisis to rise in faith, move up in trust and see God do new things in your life. Now go be a woman of power controlling crisis and not crisis controlling you. Keep reading Power Hour Mails.

God bless you.