Elijah rested his head on the cloak he had rolled up for a pillow. It was cool and quiet in the cave. Caves were often used as shelter, but the forefathers Abraham and Isaac had buried their dead there and David had hid in caves from pressures and distress. Elijah’s cave reminded him of his troubles, dead dreams, and failed expectations. While Elijah was thinking back over his life , he heard a voice he knew, could only be the Lords. “What are you doing here Elijah?"

Did God mean what was Elijah doing in the cave or what was Elijah doing in that state of mind? Was God was asking Elijah “Do you want commiseration in your pain or a new commission in your purpose? God was moving Elijah on because there is no future in the past and no future in the cave. God was encouraging Elijah, if you are ready for a new commission, come out of the cave, and forget the past for the past can affect the way you hear, what you can hear and even what you expect to hear.

Sadly, it seems that Elijah never really left his cave. We can leave our cave physically, yet remain there mentally or spiritually. Elijah may not have been in his cave, but the cave was still in him.

Friend, self-pity or past failures will rob you of your usefulness and your future. The past can imprint us more powerfully than our future. Come out of the cave with your hands up and get ready to hear from God. Our ability to be useful to God is limited to our boldness before the throne and before the world. Stand on the mountain before the Lord with your back to past pain, the dead things, the persecution and the failed expectations. It is time to break agreement with fear, low expectations and self rejection. If you can turn your back on all the things that are in your cave and stand before Him, you will hear His new commission!