The Widow and the Prophet Women in the Bible

God blesses those who place their trust in Him during times of need.

The Word: 1 Kings 17:7-24

How do we feel when we are in need of help? What are the ways people deal with times of need or discouragement in their lives? How do we feel when we are in need of help? How do we respond when help comes?

What risks do you think Elijah might have faced in obeying God’s direction to go to Zarephath for help?

How do you tend to respond when God asks you to do something risky?

The widow had lost hope for herself and for her child. Based on her response to Elijah’s request, what do you believe she was thinking and feeling at the time?

How do you tend to respond to situations when you feel hopeless?

What do you think motivated the widow to do as Elijah asked What do you think motivated the widow to do as Elijah asked? Was it faith? Compassion? Something else?

Are there times when God asks us to take a step of faith, even during times of need and/or desperation?

In what way did God bless the widow’s obedience/faith? What must it have been like to depend on God one day at a time?

What does it tell you about how she saw herself? What does the widow’s outburst tell you about her understanding of God? What does it tell you about how she saw herself?

How would you have felt had you been in her position?

How was the widow changed by seeing her son restored to life?

What does this story say to us about our reaction to God in times of need? What does it say to us about how God responds to us during our times of need?

Do we still see suffering as punishment for sin? Is this faithful to what the Scriptures as a whole show us about the character of God?

What can we learn about God’s response to human need from this story? Does God always respond to our time of need the way we want Him to?

What has this taught you about God’s character? How has God used the places of need in your life to help you learn empathy and compassion toward others who are in need? What has this taught you about God’s character?

What storms are you facing right now? Is God calling you to action? Might He be asking a difficult obedience from you?

God is our Provider, Healer, and Restorer. In the midst of our struggles, let us remember that God is not the one who “comes to steal, kill and destroy.” God is our Provider, Healer, and Restorer.