We don’t know her name; the Bible only calls her the Shunammite. This wealthy woman loved God and provided for his prophet Elisha. Deep down she desperately wanted to be a mother, but that hadn’t happened yet. So when Elisha told her she would have a baby in a year, “‘No, my lord!’ she objected. ‘Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!’” (2 Kings 4:16).

He didn’t mislead her. His prophecy came true and her son was born. Not many years later, the son complained about a pain in his head—and died on his mother’s lap. She went to find the prophet, “‘Did I ask you for a son, my lord?’ she said. ‘Didn’t I tell you, “Don’t raise my hopes”?’” (verse 28).

(I promise this story has a happy ending. Read 2 King 4:8-37.) Though it seems unusual, we can relate. We all have a deepest desire. We wait, pray, hope . . . and God just doesn’t seem to be hearing us. Maybe we are too afraid to ask . . . because what if God says no? What if God takes away our good things and the pain makes us wish we had never been blessed in the first place?

I promise, thanks to Jesus, that your ultimate story has a happy ending. Meanwhile in this world, as you are waiting, praying, questioning, grieving, God is working. Maybe he’ll show you how. Maybe he won’t. So you and I simply pray for the faith to say, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21).