“Be the Shunammite Woman” Post One
by Jennifer Greene-Sullivan
Last week, the Lord spoke something very specific to my heart.
“Be the Shunammite woman.”
I did not fully understand it at first. I knew her story, but I had never studied her life this closely. As I returned to the text, I realized something deeper. She is not just a woman in a miracle story; she is a model for how to live with God before, during, and after the miracle.
She Made Room Before the Need
In 2 Kings 4:8–17, we meet her for the first time. There is no crisis. There is no request. There is no desperation. Instead, there is discernment. She tells her husband, “I know that this is a holy man of God.” She recognizes the presence of God before she ever needs anything from Him. Then, she acts on what she knows.
She makes room: a small upper room, a bed, a table, a lamp.
She prepares a place for God to dwell in her home, and she does not wait for a miracle to make space for Him. She makes space, and then God moves.
She Held Faith in the Middle of Loss
In 2 Kings 4:18–37, everything changes. The promise comes in the form of a son. Then, unexpectedly, the promise is taken. Her child dies in her arms, and the moment demands a response. Her response is not panic. It is focus. When the Shunammite woman is asked if everything is alright, she says, “It is well.” She does not respond this way because everything looks well. She says it because she knows where she is going regardless of the death of her son.
She carries her son to the upper room she had prepared: the very place she made in faith becomes the place she returns to in crisis. What she built in peace becomes her refuge in pain. She does not argue or collapse because she goes straight to the source of God’s presence.
She Walked in Obedience/ She Received Restoration
In 2 Kings 8:1–6, we see her again. This time, she is given instruction. She is told to leave her land because of a coming famine. She obeys without hesitation. She leaves what is hers; she lives as a foreigner. Regardless of how it appears to anyone else, she releases what once felt secure.
When she returns, everything is gone.
Her land is no longer hers. Her provision is gone. Her place has been taken. Still, she does not retreat. With fortitude and courage, she goes to the king. She addresses a king and requests that her property be restored for her and for the son that God resurrected. At that very moment, her story is being told in the king’s presence. The timing is not coincidence. It is God. It is God’s timing. It is God’s provision. It is God’s favor.
Everything is restored to her because God does not forget her obedience–He honors it!
What Her Life Reveals
When I step back and look at her life, I see a pattern:
She prepared before the promise.
She trusted during the loss.
She obeyed through the unknown.
She received restoration in the end.
She was not loud. She was not dramatic. She was steady, intentional, and faithful. Her life reminds me that faith is not just how we respond when things go wrong, but FAITH is how we live when nothing seems to be happening at all.
Making Room in Our Homes
As I studied her life, I realized something both difficult and beautiful. If I am to “Be the Shunammite woman,” then I must continue making room for God. Making room for the presence of the Lord is not just about preparing a space for Him, but it is about how we live with one another inside our homes. Paul gives us a clear picture of this in Colossians 3:18–21 when these verses describe a home where God is honored through relationship, responsibility, and love.
Wives are called to walk in respect and order. Husbands are called to lead with love. Children are called to obey. Then, there is a direct instruction to fathers.
“Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
Encouragement is not optional; ultimately, encouragement remains essential.
A Real Moment in My Own Home
Just last night, I found myself living inside this tension with the relational dynamics of my family. After Liam’s ballgame, my husband spoke to him out of frustration. Liam has been stepping out of the batter’s box because he is afraid of being hit by the ball. Even when the pitch is straight, fear causes him to move.
Chris said, “Son, I am not going to come to your games to watch you be afraid to swing the bat.”
Liam’s face changed immediately. I could see the discouragement settle in his beautiful eyes.
In that moment, I felt torn. I wanted to protect my son, but I also wanted to honor my husband. I wanted to respond in a way that reflected Christ, but I knew I could not correct Chris in front of Liam. Unfortunately, I did not handle it perfectly. Still, I recognized something important.
What I Am Learning
Fathers carry tremendous influence in the lives of their children because correction matters. Discipline matters. However, how one delivers correction also matters just as much. A struggling child does not only need instruction, he needs encouragement.
Fear is not always rebellion. Sometimes, it is something a child does not yet know how to overcome. A father’s words can either reinforce fear or help lead a child through it. How could my husband have led Liam through this fear victoriously?
Walking Victory Out
I am learning to respond with both truth and grace because I can come alongside my son and say, “Daddy wants you to be strong and confident, and that is a good thing. It is also okay that you are still learning how to not be afraid. We will work on that together.”
Liam as well as our family members can recite scripture over this situation, especially with Liam’s favorite verse: “Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be discouraged, nor dismayed, for the Lord your God goes with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, ESV) As a family, we can speak life and not death over our son and over our girls.
I should speak to my husband privately and say, “How can we help him grow through this instead of only correcting it?” My using scripture and speaking to Chris in private shows wisdom as well as submission. Using God’s wisdom in partnership is BIBLICAL!
A Word to Fathers
If you are a father reading this, your words matter more than you realize. They shape how your children see themselves. They shape how your children respond to fear. They shape how your children understand love.
You are not just raising behavior. You are building confidence, courage, and identity. Discipline without encouragement can lead to discouragement. Truth spoken in love builds strength.
Closing Reflection
The Shunammite woman made room for God before she ever saw the miracle, the prophecy, or the provision.
I am learning that making room for God in my home looks like more than prayer. Making room for God’s presence in our home looks like how we speak, how we correct, and how we love one another in the everyday moments.
Even the imperfect ones.
The imperfect moments could be the exact time and place God shapes not just our children—but us.
Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for the example of the Shunammite woman, who made room for You before she ever saw the miracle. Thank You for reminding me that faith is not just how I respond in crisis, but how I live in the quiet, everyday moments.
Teach me to make room for You in my home, in my words, and in my heart. Help me to respond with wisdom when tension rises, and give me the grace to walk in both truth and love. Show me how to honor my husband, encourage my child, and reflect Your heart in the way I lead and love my family.
Father, soften our hearts as parents. Help us to correct without discouraging, to guide without wounding, and to speak life into our children even when we are frustrated. Let our homes be places where Your presence is welcome and where Your peace remains.
Give us discernment like the Shunammite woman, faith in the waiting, and trust in the unknown. Teach us to prepare for what You are doing, even when we cannot yet see it. And in every moment—especially the imperfect ones—remind us that You are still shaping us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Weekly Challenge
This week, choose to make room intentionally. Make room for God by setting aside a few quiet moments each day to sit with Him even ten minutes of focused time can change your perspective. Make room in your words. Before correcting your child, pause and consider whether your words are building your child up or only pointing out what is wrong. Make room in your home. If you are a parent, especially a father, take time to notice your child’s struggle and speak life into it.
Make room for faith in the waiting. When something feels unresolved, resist the urge to fix it immediately. Instead, trust that God is working, even when you cannot yet see it because when we make room for God—
He always fills it.
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