Hope, Healing & Freedom Podcast : Ep 26
TRANSCRIPT
“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.”
Psalm 37:7
Resting and waiting are a challenge for most of us. The pressures of our jobs, ministry, family, bills, are calling to us. They are each vying for our time. It is often a challenge to set aside a time of rest and wait on Him. Maybe you even feel guilty if you’re not always busy or strategizing about doing something?
Today we’re going to look at what happens when we get weary, tired and exhausted.
We’re visiting the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19.
Elijah was a prophet. He was used mightily by God. There are many accounts about Elijah. He prayed that it would not rain for 3 years and it didn’t. He then prayed that it would rain and it did. He was fed by ravens. A widow gave him her last meal and then had miraculous provision.
In 1 Kings 19, we find that Elijah is having a confrontation with the people that believed in the power of Baal. They believed in the power of Baal and not of our God. Needless to say at the end of the showdown on Mt Carmel the evidence was clear. Baal didn’t show up but God did. To prove a point Elijah made the test more difficult for God to win. Check it out in 1 Kings 18.
Elijah had had an intense and victorious time at the showdown on Mt Carmel. He had proved that our God was powerful and that Baal was powerless. After the victory at Mt Carmel he killed 450 false prophets with God’s help. I’d say that’s a good day. He should have been celebrating!
However, Jezebel threatened to kill him. In fact, she vowed that she would kill him.
In his exhaustion he freaked out and ran. Now, Elijah wasn’t your average guy. This was the mighty prophet that had just won this massive contest and killed all of the false prophets and yet now he’s running for his life? He forgot that his God had been with him at Mt Carmel. God had been with him to kill the prophets. Somehow he lost perspective and gave up. He began to believe a lie. The lie he believed was something like: It’d be better if I just up and die. He was so hopeless that “And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life” He actually had thoughts of wanting God to take his life.
Have you ever been like Elijah? Have you pondered that it would be better if you just died? It’s not uncommon when we get exhausted and then face a severe attack that we do not think clearly. Most of us reach a point of saying, I just can’t do this anymore!
A few years ago I was at that point of giving up. It felt like there was pressure and challenge on every side. It felt like nothing was going well and everything was difficult. I sat on my back porch pouring out my heart to God about it. Telling him how I felt about all of it. I reminded him that we had left our home and our children and grandchildren when we said yes to Him. I remember asking Him why he would ask us to make such difficult decisions? Why us? I also remember writing a letter of resignation. I heard the quiet voice of God whisper to me, “Did I tell you to write that letter?” Hmm…I had to answer “No”. He told me that He asked us to do the hard things because he knew that we would do them. I guess that was a compliment. He also told me that He wasn’t finished with us yet. So, of course I relented and never submitted that letter of resignation.
It’s not unlike where Elijah found himself. In the midst of his exhaustion he let discouragement, hopelessness and unbelief creep in. Instead of reminding himself of the victory that He had won he looked at the accusations and threats of Jezebel. He believed the lies of the enemy.
God’s response to Elijah is amazing. Many people would assume that God would punish Elijah or at least correct him. God didn’t do that. While Elijah was sitting under the broom tree God gave him rest and then He miraculously provided for his physical needs of food.
Sometimes the thing we need most to be able to get back our perspective is rest. There is a reason God wants us to take a Sabbath each week. Time apart from the busyness of life is important. Getting refreshed physically and spiritually is vital to our wellbeing.
“The spirit needs to be fed, and the body needs feeding also. Do not forget these matters; it may seem to some people that I ought not to mention such small things as food and rest, but these may be the very first elements in really helping a poor depressed servant of God.”
Charles Spurgeon
After Elijah rested God told him to go to Mt Horeb. It was to take 40 days for him to reach his destination. Interestingly, the direct route would be much shorter than that. Often it seems that our path of obedience takes us an indirect route. We find that God is at work in us and in our circumstances during our journey.
When Elijah arrived at his destination he found another place to rest. God asked Elijah, “What are you doing here?” It’s always interesting to me when God asks a question like this. It’s not because he doesn’t know the answer. Elijah continued to pour out his complaint to God. He reminded God that he had been faithful and served him and yet his life was at risk by the threats of Jezebel. Elijah told God that He thought this was unfair treatment. He complained to God that he was all alone. This wasn’t really accurate but it’s how Elijah felt.
Wow, I’ve had those same thoughts and feelings. Have you thought about giving up? Maybe you’ve even considered ending your life? Have you asked God why you’re experiencing hardship even though you’ve been faithful to Him? Woven in those questions are really judgments against God. The judgements are something like, “God you should do something about this difficulty I’m facing.” Or “God, how could you let something like this happen?”
God is not surprised by our thoughts and feelings. If you’re in a place of struggle today there is hope for you! Listen to how God responds to Elijah.
The next part of the story is just amazing. Elijah has an encounter with God that is new and different. In previous encounters with God, God speaks through an impressive demonstration of power. This encounter was very personal. God spoke to Elijah in a still small voice. Oftentimes we are looking for God to speak in loud ways like an earthquake, or a fire, but instead He is speaking quietly. It was after this encounter that God gave Elijah his next instructions. God was not finished with Elijah. His questions, his depression, his running from the enemy didn’t disqualify him and they don’t disqualify you either.
Let’s ponder this a bit. Elijah was a mighty Prophet of God. You might say he was the top tier of spiritual authorities of the day. He had experienced God move powerfully at Mt Carmel and in other circumstances in his life. However, he was not immune to frustration, depression and losing hope. This says to us that no matter how powerfully we’ve experienced God move in our lives that we can lose our hope.
According to Charles Spurgeon:
“Then the Lord did what perhaps was best of all for Elijah, he gave him some more work to do. He sent him off about his Master’s business again; and I warrant you that, when Elijah went back over that road, it was with a very different step from that which brought him down to Beersheba. He had come along terrified and distressed; but now he goes back with the majesty that belongs to the Tishbite, he is afraid of no Jezebel now.”
Charles Spurgeon
When God gave him his next assignment it’s like God is saying, “Elijah, your work isn’t finished yet. I still need you.” It changed Elijah’s focus and perspective.
So, what can we learn from Elijah in this story?
- I think we can learn that after a spiritual victory we may face challenges from our enemy. You see our enemy, Satan, doesn’t play fair and he has no mercy. He doesn’t care if you’re tired or weary. In fact, that’s probably the most likely time that he’s going to attack.
- We are human and we get physically worn down. When we are worn out, weary and exhausted we don’t handle life very well. We lose hope and let our circumstances look bigger than our God. Everything becomes magnified through the lens of hopelessness.
- God knows that we’re human and that we need rest. Resting and getting refreshed renews our perspective. We can identify the lies that we believe and we can get His perspective of truth.
- God isn’t surprised by our feelings and he doesn’t berate us for having them. He supernaturally feeds us when we take time to rest. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; We have to choose to rest and wait on the Lord.
- We may be looking for an obvious or impressive manifestation of power when God is speaking in a quiet voice that is meant just for us.
- Even when we fail, when we question God, when we lose our hope, God is right there to provide what we need and then give us our next instructions that he has for us. We’re not disqualified!
Prayer: Father God, Thank you for the picture you give us in this story about Elijah. We have all faced times that we just want to give up. Thank you that in our weariness when we lose hope you are right there with us bringing supernatural refreshing as we take time to rest. Thank you for acknowledging how important rest is for us.
Father God, I give you my discouragement, my disappointment and the despair I am feeling today. Forgive me for letting go of hope and embracing hopelessness. Would you come and refresh me and heal my heart in every way that is needed?
Thank you that you don’t give up on me, you don’t reject me, you don’t chastise me. Instead you are right there with me waiting to give me my next assignment and breathe fresh hope into my life.
Declaration: I declare that I will hold onto hope in every area of my life.
We all need help at times. If you find that you aren’t able to get to the root of your hopelessness, disappointment and discouragement please reach out to our ministry coordinator at www.restoringthefoundations.org
Our highly trained Ministry Teams will help you get to the roots. Don’t settle for less than complete healing and freedom.
