How Did Elijah Deal with Discouragement? (Week 27, Part 5/6) 1 Kings 17-19 | June 27 β July 3 β powered by Happy Scribe
I love the story of a mother who noticed her son wasnβt in the chapel just before sacrament meeting was about to begin. She looked throughout the hallways and finally spotted him sitting outside on a curb, his head in his hands. She approached him and said, son, weβve got to go to church now. Sacrament meeting is about to begin. The sun replied, I donβt want to go, mom. Iβm worried sick about it. Why? His mother asked. Iβll give you three reasons, the sun said. Number one, nobody likes me. Number two, nobody talks to me. Number three, Iβm afraid of the teenagers. The mother replied, Honey, I know youβre worried, but Iβll give you three reasons why you need to come to church today. Number one, to take the sacrament. Number two, youβre 45 years old. Number three, youβre the bishop. We all get discouraged at times, even if youβre the bishop. In fact, today I want to talk about a prophet who got discouraged. His name was Elijah. Elijah had just performed an incredible miracle. He had had a competition against more than 400 prophets of the priests of Bal to see which of them worshiped the true God.
And God had miraculously shown forth his power, making it obvious that Ball was not a real prophet and Elijah was. Elijah should have been overjoyed at this miracle. But the wicked Queen Jezebel, who supported the priest of Ball, said that she was going to kill Elijah. Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. He was isolated in the wilderness and started to feel very sorry for himself. He said, It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors. Can you hear the discouragement in his voice? A short time later, Elijah cried out to the Lord, saying, I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant thrown down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left. They are seeking my life to take it away. Note Elijahβs phrase, I alone am left. Have you ever felt alone? Itβs interesting, though, that Elijah was not alone. In fact, the Lord is going to tell him a few verses later that there were still several thousand people in Israel who had not turned the Ball in.
A few verses after that, Elijah will meet Elisha, his new best friend. In other words, at his lowest moment, Elijah feels like quitting. But things arenβt as bad as they look, and theyβre about to get better. Thatβs how it is with us. Sometimes maybe we feel alone. We feel like we have nobody, but God is showing us help is on the horizon. Part of whatβs interesting in this story is how God communicates with Elijah. We read, The Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and break in pieces the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not In The wind. And after the wind? An Earthquake. But The Lord Was Not In the earthquake. And after the earthquake? A Fire. But The Lord Was Not In the fire. And after the fire?
A still, small Voice.
Thatβs A familiar passage Of Scripture, but I hope youβll remember the context.
A still, small voice.
Thatβs how The Lord communicated With Elijah when he was discouraged at Elijahβs moment of doubt. God didnβt speak in an earthquake or a fire or a mighty wind, but.
In a still, small voice.
You and I Are going to have some difficult times and We Might Want to see A miracle. Maybe that will happen. But maybe we will simply hear the still, small voice encouraging US to remember that with an eternal perspective. Things arenβt as bad as they might seem. Remember The Saviorβs Words Jesus Said in The World ye Shall Have Tribulation, but Be Of Good Cheer. I Have Overcome The world. That promise can help all of us, even on very discouraging days.
Guest Author
dyejo
