THE ANTIDOTES FOR DISCOURAGEMENT (1)

THE ANTIDOTES FOR DISCOURAGEMENT (1)

Elijah won a great victory for the Lord at Mount Carmel, triumphing over and killing 450 prophets of Baal. He persuaded the Israelites to confess their faith in God, and then he successfully prayed for rain to end a three-year famine. He thought he had turned Israelites to God but what happened instead, the wicked Jezebel sent a message to him, warning him that he would be killed. Elijah thought he had won a great victory, but Jezebel made it clear to him that he had been unable to eradicate idolatry from the kingdom. What a disappointment!

The rest of the chapter tells what God did to help Elijah overcome his hopelessness. We can learn from the way Elijah dealt with his situation and use those lessons to overcome our negative feelings at times. First, God took care of Elijah’s physical needs. When we are discouraged, we must not neglect our physical needs. We are made whole people: the physical, spiritual, social, and mental parts of man are so intertwined that what happens to us in one aspect of our lives affects every other part of our lives. Therefore, even when we are not at our best, we need to make sure that we get the food and rest our bodies need.

Second, God sent Elijah on a “spiritual retreat.” Elijah withdrew from the everyday activities he had been engaged in and, at God’s direction, travelled forty days and forty nights to Horeb, or Sinai, the Mount of God (1 Kings 19:8). When we are downhearted or have experienced failure, and especially when we are worn out in doing the Lord’s work, one of the best things we can do is to go away for a while. We may need to spend some time alone with God in prayer and reflection. Perhaps we all could profit from taking time away from our circumstances. God recognized the need for rest, so He gave the Sabbath law in the Old Testament. While we are not obligated to observe the Sabbath, we would probably be better off physically and emotionally if we would rest one day a week and take occasional time off from our daily tasks. Sometimes Jesus withdrew from the crowds to be by Himself or to be with His disciples. We should periodically withdraw from the duties that press upon us to “recharge our batteries” – John 6:15; Mark 3:7.

Word Affirmation: And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me - Psalm 27:6 (Don't just say it, mean it!)

“We should periodically withdraw from the duties that press upon us to “recharge our batteries””

MIND THIS