My Epic Journey

Empty.
Completely empty.
No glimmer,
No hope,
No peace,
No joy.
Void of happiness,
Void of pain,
Void of everything,
Void of Light.
Empty.
Completely empty.

But there is Hope,
There is Peace,
There is Love,
There is a Way,
There is a Light.
Fullness.
Completely Jesus.

Have you ever gone from GREAT victory to DEVESTATING despair?  Had the world by the tail and the next moment felt as if the world was sitting on top of you, crushing you?  Breathed in the INVIGORATING air of the mountain top to find your next step sending you rolling FURIOUSLY down to the valley?

Your not the only one!!

In 1Kings 19.1-18 we see Elijah, an amazing prophet of God, go from one of the most powerful public displays of the strength of God to absolute anxiety and despair to the point of pleading to die.

As I read this passage I wrestle with why we see this sudden change in Elijah.  I believe there are three reasons Elijah last hope?

1.  He was tired.  In fact, Scripture records that he was VERY zealous for the Lord and His work and had worked continuously to see the Israelites turn from false gods to THE God!!!  Therefore, he was tired, which is understandable.  It is always good for us to work hard with what God wants us to do, but it is also necessary to take some time to rest.  Even Jesus, during his earthly ministry, took time to rest!

2.  He needed to get away.  Much like the last point, if we do not take time to step out of the fight to get refreshed, we will certainly lose the battle.  During this time of reflection God did some amazing things:

• He fed Elijah.  Elijah would nap and when he woke there was food and drink sitting next to his head.  How cool is that????  God supplied even during a tough time in Elijah’s life.
• He kept Elijah safe.  God protected Elijah and even sent him to a safe cave where he could rest and reflect.
• He spoke to Elijah.  This, to me, is the coolest part of the story.  In a time of despair, God speaks, in a most incredible way, to Elijah. 

11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

3.  He let people get BIGGER than God.  I have a book sitting in on my library shelf titled, When People are Big and God is Small by Edward Welch. 

Welch talks about the power people have on our life if we take our focus off of God.  This is what I believe Elijah struggled with the most.  He let wicked Jezebel get the best of him and forgot that, though people seem BIG at time, God is ALWAYS bigger!

Next time you feel like all hope is lost, don’t lose your fight, but instead take time to revitalize your soul and your LOVE for God and His work.

I would be interested in hearing from both OLHS students and from those of you who have gone through the similar tragedy of losing someone close to you.  What helps bring healing to you?