Many of the God’s choicest saints are not strangers to seasons of discouragement, weariness, and depression! Sometimes these black clouds of discouragement can come into a person’s life and fix themselves overhead for a long season. There are seasons where the strongest became weary in the battle! The well-known ‘Prince of Preachers’ C.H. Spurgeon was known to struggle with seasons of discouragement during his ministry. He said, “Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.”
Such was the case with Elijah the prophet in 1 Kings 19. In the chapter leading up to this, we find Elijah boldly denouncing the sin of King Ahab and standing up against false prophets of Baal and defeating them upon Mt. Carmel. A few chapters earlier, we find God using Elijah to perform great miracles- even raising up a widow’s son from the dead! With a ministry like this, nobody would expect a man like Elijah to struggle with discouragement!
Without 1 Kings 19, we may think that Elijah never struggled with discouragement. We are reminded, however, in James 5:17 that Elijah “was a man subject to like passions as we are.” The truth of this is illustrated in 1 Kings 19 as Elijah is found running for his life from Jezebel and in a fit of despair. On the heels of the great victory on top of Mt. Carmel against the false prophets of Baal, Elijah, the man of God, sinks into a state of deep depression. The Bible states that “he…came and sat 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” (v. 4). Elijah, revealing the weakness of his humanity, said “It is enough”. The work of God was difficult and exhausting. It brought opposition and persecution. The work of Mt. Carmel did not lead to a national revival or a return of the people to God. Elijah felt isolated. He felt that he was all alone in his stand for God. Elijah saw his work as a failure.
Yet, the tenderness of God always reaches down and picks up the weary Christian. God never leaves His children to die on the battlefield. God came and ministered to Elijah. God listened to his frustrations. God knew the exact remedy that the discouraged saint needed. And in 1 Kings 19, God is seen meeting the needs of the discouraged saint by giving him: rest and replenishment (v. 5), a personal encounter with God (vv. 11-12), a reminder that God wasn’t done with him (v. 15), a friend and successor (v. 16), a promise to claim (v. 17), and a timely reminder that he was not alone in his stand for truth (v. 18).
When the clouds of depression and discouragement hang over the head of the weary, but faithful servant of God, don’t look to the world to find help. Don’t look within for help. You won’t find true help there! Rather, fix your gaze upon God- the One who cares for His servants and the One who always has the exact remedy we need! God is able to give rest to the weary, strength to the weak, and joy to the discouraged!
~Pastor Aaron Francis
