When was the last time you were so discouraged you wanted to quit? In my life of 67 years, I’ve had plenty of those. Sometimes, the only thing that kept me going was not wanting to label myself as a quitter. If you feel that way, you are not alone. It’s a tactic that Satan has used throughout history. Discouragement stops progress. What better way is there to keep others from knowing Christ than to stop the ones who know Him.
In I Kings chapter 18, we see Elijah on top of the mountain. He has seen the miraculous power of God work on his behalf. God proved to everyone that Elijah was worshiping the one true God. You would think that after Elijah saw God work miracles, he would be so energized that nothing could phase him. It should have ignited a trust in God that nothing could shake. However, when the news of God’s using Elijah to get rid of the false prophets got back to Jezebel, she vowed to kill Elijah.
I Kings 19:4 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”
Instead of remembering and trusting, Elijah became depressed and wanted to die. In chapter 19, Elijah is exhausted and not thinking realistically. He is focused on his fear instead of his God. Wrong thinking leads to wrong reactions. He withdrew from those around him and began to have a pity party. In verse 5, we find him getting much-needed rest, and an angel comes to feed him.
I Kings 19:5-6 “And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.”
The angel comes again and tells him to rise and eat. He is strengthened and then is ready to spend time alone with God. He has convinced himself he is alone in serving God, but God assures him he is not. God will always meet us when we seek Him. In verse 19 God not only hears him but brings help for him. He provides him a friend and a successor, Elisha.
I Kings 19:19 “So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.”
Just when you think you can’t remember, God can. When life’s trials cause us to become discouraged, we tend to focus on our problems. Instead of solving them, they get worse. Our vision is clouded, and our thinking becomes irrational, just like Elijah’s. The longer we take our eyes off Christ, the larger our problems seem to be. Our problems begin to control us instead of us controlling them. Our thoughts and actions are governed by our problems.
In Matthew 14:29, Peter is a good example of this. He sees Jesus walking on the water and asks to join him. Jesus tells him to come, and all is good until Peter takes his eyes off Jesus, and then he begins to sink.
Matthew 14:28-31 “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
So, what do we do when we are discouraged? If exhaustion plays into our situation, get some rest. Spend time alone with God, meditating on His word and praying. Think about all He has done for you and how much He loves you. He sent Elisha as a friend to Elijah, but he was better to us than that. He sent us the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and will never leave us. Remember, Satan will use this time to try to pull you so low you feel defeated.
In Psalm 30:5b, we understand that if we are a child of God, sorrow and discouragement will always be temporary and will always be followed by joy. The morning will come, a morning without clouds, a morning when the sources of sorrow and despair will disappear. Don’t take your eyes off Jesus; stay focused. Joy will come in the morning.
Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
