notesbynora

(Elijah & Elisha)

There’s a moment in Scripture that takes my breath away every single time. It’s quiet, simple, and yet one of the boldest acts of faith in the Old Testament.

It’s when Elisha burned his plows.

We read in 1 Kings 19:19-21 that Elijah found Elisha working in the fields, plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. Elijah walked up, placed his mantle on Elisha’s shoulders — a symbol of calling — and without hesitation, Elisha made a life-altering decision.

He didn’t just say yes. He didn’t just follow. He burned the plows behind him.

Scripture says he slaughtered the oxen, used the wooden plows as firewood, cooked the meat, and gave it to the people. Then he left — no turning back.

Elisha didn’t keep a backup plan. He didn’t leave room for second-guessing. He didn’t say, “Let me try this for a while and see if it works.” He removed every path of retreat so he could walk fully into God’s purpose.

Sometimes, obeying God requires that kind of courage — the kind that lets go of what is familiar so we can embrace what is divine.

I think about how many times in my own life God has called me into something new — fostering children, writing books, ministering to others, beginning new seasons after deep loss. I didn’t always feel ready. I didn’t always feel equipped. But God wasn’t asking for perfection — He was asking for surrender.

And surrender often means leaving something behind.

Maybe for you it’s fear. Perhaps it’s comfort.  Perhaps it’s an old pattern, an unhealthy relationship, or a false sense of identity. Perhaps it’s the life you planned, so you can step into the life God is offering.

Elisha knew that to step into destiny, he had to release what tied him to the past. He burned what represented the old season so he could fully embrace the new one.

And that’s the beauty of this story:

When God calls you forward, He never intends for you to live halfway between who you were and who He is making you.

Elisha’s act of burning the plows wasn’t just dramatic — it was prophetic.  It declared:  “I am available. I am committed. I trust God more than I trust what is familiar. I am stepping into something greater.”

And oh, how God honored that obedience. Elisha performed twice as many miracles as Elijah.  He became one of the most powerful prophets in the Old Testament. And it all began with a single step of total surrender.

If God is calling you into a new season —  to forgive, to heal, to serve, to lead, to open your home, to let go, to begin again — don’t be afraid to burn the plows.

Don’t cling to what God is asking you to release. Don’t keep safety nets where God is calling you to walk by faith. Don’t stay in the old season when God has an anointing waiting in the new one.

God honors bold obedience. He blesses surrendered hearts. And He always meets us on the other side of “yes.”

Prayer

Lord, give me the courage of Elisha — the courage to let go of what I don’t need in the next season and to fully trust Your calling. Help me release the past, remove my backup plans, and step boldly into the future You have prepared. I want to follow You without hesitation. Amen.