Expert Sulking

Lily Cathcart July 06, 2025 2 1

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2 Kings 5: 8-14 (NIVUK)

8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: ‘Why have you torn your robes? Make the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.’ 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.’

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?’ So he turned and went off in a rage.

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed”!’ 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

I often joke that my life would be easier if there were very obvious and not too difficult messages from God telling me what to do next. Of course this isn’t what happens, I have never been lucky enough to have a prophet send me a note with my easy next step to happiness, solving my problems. But reading Naaman’s story I wonder how I would react if it did happen.

Would I react anything like he does to the clear and easy instructions? Having spent hours, days and years struggling with his illness he is told to just wash it away, amazing right? Nope…he sulks. I do love a good sulk myself Naaman but I’m not sure this was the best moment for it.

As his helpful, and presumably very patient, servant points out: it could have been something more difficult. Would he have preferred it to be more difficult? More worthy of his problems, of his perceived greatness. Naaman is a man used to getting his way, probably used to throwing money at problems. Yet in this he has to just take what he is given and suck it up, like everyone else.

I don’t know how I would respond to an easy out to my problems.

I hope I wouldn’t sulk, I hope I would accept a solution and happily throw myself in the river seven times, and seven more if I was asked to. Especially if I rose from it new and fresh like flowers after a fire. Like Naaman rose with his illness gone and new possibilities, perhaps even a new faith and hope.

If I ever am visited by a prophet who tells me all I have to do is have 7 showers in a row, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Prayer:

Dear God of patience,

Help us to welcome your hand in our lives

Help us to receive your messages with grace

Thank you that you keep trying to reach us

Thank you for the joy that springs up through your plans

Amen