1 Kings 19:4: “But [Elijah] went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, ‘It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!'”

July 22nd, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Down through the ages, Elijah has been called the prophet of power. His name is synonymous with strength. But in this verse, this iron man of the Old Testament was filled with fear and discouragement, so much so that he wanted to die. Elijah had 3 revealing symptoms. He was suffering from exhaustion, due to a lack of proper rest; introspection, from looking too closely at himself; and an exaggeration of his problems, which introspection naturally leads to. Centuries later the apostle Paul wrote of his own encounter with despair:

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. (2 Cor. 1:8)

Why did these 2 great men of God find themselves in the depths of despair? Perhaps they hadn’t seen the results they expected or wanted to see, or maybe they never thought times would get as hard as they did.

We can fall into the same state of mind if our expectations get too far above our practical experience. There are many like Paul and Elijah, who have been discouraged in their service for God and often for the same reasons: exhaustion, introspection of faults, and an exaggeration of problems. We find God’s solution in Psalm 46. The entire Psalm speaks of disturbing times: pounding seas, crumbling mountains, and violent kingdoms. However, at the close of the Psalm, we hear God’s perspective: “Be still and know that I am God” (46:10). He tells us that in the worst of times, we must stop hurrying and worrying and be quiet and silent before Him. When we lay it all down at the foot of the cross, the temporal, with all its accompanying drama, suddenly comes into focus in the light of the eternal. God Himself absorbs the chaos and gives back calm and hope.

“LORD, we ask for Your peace that passes understanding to rule in our hearts and minds today.”