Proactive Faith

The Power of a Proactive Faith: Lessons from the Shunammite Woman

In a world that constantly demands our attention and reaction, there's something profoundly transformative about choosing to live proactively—especially when it comes to our faith. The story of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings chapter 4 offers us a masterclass in what it means to pursue God with intention, serve without expectation, and trust without reservation.


Two Types of People

We can generally divide people into two categories: those who are proactive and those who are reactive. This distinction becomes particularly significant in our spiritual lives. How many of us wait until crisis strikes before we pray? How often do we only open our Bibles when we're desperate for answers? How frequently do we worship only when the music moves us rather than intentionally creating space for God?
A reactive faith waits for the storm. A proactive faith prepares the boat.
When we wonder why our relationship with God feels stagnant or why we can't sense His presence, the answer often lies in our approach. We're waiting to react to God's movement rather than proactively pursuing Him. We're looking for needs to be met rather than seeking alignment with His will.


A Woman Who Saw and Acted

The Shunammite woman exemplifies proactive faith in remarkable ways. She was a woman of means and influence, yet she noticed the prophet Elisha regularly passing through her town. She didn't wait for him to ask for help. She didn't form a committee to discuss whether supporting a prophet might be controversial given the political climate. She simply acted.
She persuaded Elisha to stop and eat at her home. Then she went further—she convinced her husband to build an upper room specifically for Elisha's use, complete with a bed, table, chair, and lampstand. This wasn't a casual gesture. As a notable woman, aligning herself with a prophet who frequently opposed the king could bring serious consequences. But her conviction was clear: God mattered more than government, more than reputation, more than comfort.
This is the heart of proactive faith—seeing needs before they're announced and filling them without fanfare.


The Blessing She Never Asked For

Elisha noticed her generosity. He wanted to bless her in return, to speak on her behalf to the king or military commander. But she needed nothing from earthly powers. However, Elisha's servant Gehazi observed something significant: she had no son, and her husband was old. In that culture, this meant potential destitution if she became a widow.
Without her asking, Elisha prophesied that within a year, she would have a son. Her response reveals her character: "No, my lord, man of God, do not lie to your maidservant." She was so stunned, so protective of her heart, that she could barely believe such a blessing was possible.
But God was faithful. The prophecy came true, and she bore a son.
Here's a profound truth: when you live to serve others without expectation, blessings often arrive unannounced. The woman wasn't serving Elisha to get something in return. She was simply living out her faith authentically. Yet God saw her heart and provided what she didn't even dare to request.


When Tragedy Strikes the Faithful

The story takes a devastating turn. The boy grows, but one day while out with his father, he cries out, "My head, my head!" Something is terribly wrong. He's carried to his mother, and by noon, he dies in her arms.
This is where the story becomes uncomfortably real. Living a proactive faith doesn't shield us from tragedy. Following God's commands doesn't guarantee a pain-free life. Bad things happen to faithful people because we live in a broken world where brokenness touches everyone.
But here's where her years of proactive faith reveal their true value. Her first response wasn't to collapse in grief, consult with neighbors, or question everything. Her immediate instinct was to go to God through His prophet. She laid her son on the bed in Elisha's room, closed the door, and set out immediately to find the man of God.
When her husband questioned why she was leaving on a day that wasn't a religious festival, she simply said, "It is well," and continued her journey. This wasn't denial—it was determination. She needed God, not on a scheduled holy day, but right now in her darkest moment.


The Beauty of Authentic Prayer

When she finally reached Elisha at Mount Carmel, she didn't come with pleasantries or religious platitudes. She fell at his feet and poured out her heart: "Did I ask a son of my lord? Did I not say, 'Do not deceive me'?"
This raw honesty before God is crucial. She didn't hide behind a facade of faith that pretended everything was fine. She didn't thank God for the beautiful weather while her son lay dead. She brought her authentic pain, her confusion, her hurt.
When you approach God, don't cover your wounds. If you need healing, expose what's broken. It's impossible to apply ointment to a sore that's hidden. God already knows what you're going through—hiding it only prevents you from receiving the healing He offers.


Choosing God's Presence Above All

The most striking detail comes next. Elisha sent his servant ahead with his staff to lay on the child, instructing him not to be distracted. But the woman refused to leave Elisha's side. "As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you."
Think about what this means. Her dead son was at home. The servant was rushing there to attempt a miracle. Any mother's instinct would be to race home, to be with her child. But she stayed with the prophet because she wanted to remain in God's presence more than anything else.
This echoes Jesus's words about loving Him more than even our closest family members. It's not about destroying relationships but about proper priorities. God first, then everything else finds its proper place.


The Miracle and What It Points To

Elisha arrived and raised the boy to life. The child sneezed seven times—seven being the number of completion in Scripture—and opened his eyes. Complete restoration.
But this miracle points beyond itself. Elijah raised a boy from the dead. Elisha raised a boy from the dead. Jesus raised three people from the dead—and then raised Himself. Each prophet pointed to the greater Prophet coming, the One who would conquer death not just for a few individuals but for all humanity.
Not every tragedy gets healed on earth. But every tragedy will be healed in eternity for those who trust in Christ. The resurrection of this boy was a preview of the ultimate resurrection Jesus offers to all who believe.


Living Proactively Today

So what does proactive faith look like for us? It means not waiting for a crisis to pray. It means opening God's Word regularly, not just when we need answers. It means worshiping intentionally, not just when we feel moved. It means seeing needs around us and filling them without being asked.
It means loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength—not just on Sundays or during life's mountaintop moments, but especially in the valleys. It means loving others actively, looking for ways to serve rather than waiting for opportunities to be announced.
The Shunammite woman built a habit of seeking God that sustained her when tragedy struck. Her proactive faith meant that turning to God wasn't a last resort—it was her first instinct.
That kind of faith isn't built in a moment. It's built in the daily choices to pursue God, to serve others, and to trust Him with our whole hearts. It's built when we stop reacting and start acting on what we know to be true about God's character and promises.
The question isn't whether we'll face difficulty. We will. The question is whether we'll have built a foundation of faith strong enough to stand on when the storms come—and whether our first instinct will be to run toward God rather than away from Him.