1 Kings 19-22 CSB
Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there, but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. (19:3-5)
Anybody, no matter how spiritual, can face depression. Sometimes our greatest valley can come after our moments of greatest victory. Elijah the prophet goes from defeating all the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel and seeing a revival happen among his people, to running for his life because of the threat of Jezebel. The question I have always asked myself is “why”? Why would Elijah not remember the victory and go on in the strength and memory of that victory to face the next challenge? I am not sure I know all the answers to that question, but I do know that I am no better than Elijah.
I can remember countless times that the Lord has shown me grace, and all the times I’ve seen God move in amazing ways in my ministry. Then, as if I have temporary amnesia I will enter into another challenge and be discouraged and despair. I am convinced that discouragement is the greatest weapon in the Devil’s arsenal and he uses it to great effect in the lives of most believers. Like Elijah (and countless other heroes of the faith) we sometimes start walking by sight instead of by faith. Yes, we know in our minds that God has been and will continue to be faithful, but we become myopic and focus on what is right in front of us instead of what is unseen (and even more real).
Consider how some Christians are responding to successive waves of bad news, lockdowns due to COVID, and the uncertainty of not knowing when things will change. Some believers, who are normally solid and steady, are acting erratically and driven to despair because of not knowing when it will end and the uncertainty of tomorrow. I hear it all the time, even among my colleagues, and it makes me wonder “Why aren’t we living in the strength of previous victories and facing today’s challenges with faith and trust?” Unfortunately, the problem of spiritual amnesia affects us all and we need to remember God’s faithfulness and be okay with the uncertainty of the times. We need to stop looking at the circumstances and fix our eyes on Jesus. In this story, Elijah went on to have an encounter with God in the cave that changed his entire perspective. Perhaps it is time for each of us to stop, go back to the Lord and get a fresh perspective from Him. Elijah learned that things weren’t what they appeared to be and that God had everything under control. The same is still true for us today.
