Reading Portion: 1 Kings 19:4-8
“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 my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”
The transition from Mount Carmel to the wilderness was so quick. We can count it to a gap of hours or days. Elijah walked a day’s journey, or we can say that he walked till he was worn-out physically! He was weak inside and he wanted to vent out his depression in some way or the other. Each of us have our own ways to overcome depression. Some may cry, some go on long drives, some eat a lot and so on. Elijah had only one option – to seclude himself from everyone and to die in that state.
“It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”
When life treats us with hard blows, when situations go against our plans, when we feel like quitting from everything that we have started, we pray like Elijah, “LORD, I have had enough frustration, I can’t bear this pain anymore, I am not better than my ancestors, and I am a big failure!” We pity ourselves, deepening our wounds.
Elijah’s prayer had a statement, “It is enough; now, O LORD.” All he could see was the mist of uncertainty about his future. He had none to raise his spirits so that he could refrain from thoughts of depression. When we look ahead and see nothing but the terrifying words of enemies, we may doubt the promises of the LORD.
As he had none to motivate him, GOD sent an angel to lift his spirits up. When we build a strong boundary around us to protect the broken pieces of our heart, GOD intervenes. GOD wants to break the boundaries and limitations that we set around us. He will wipe away our tears so that we will be able to see the mercies of the LORD. Dear reader, if you are going through a similar situation, GOD will touch you. Your problems are so light that a simple touch from GOD will heal you.
The angel of the LORD touched Elijah twice. The first touch was accompanied, only with a command, “Arise and eat!”, while the second had a command and a direction as well, “Arise and eat; because journey is too great for thee.” (Vs. 7)
When we become clueless, GOD will give us a proper direction about where to go next. GOD will lead us to His Mount Horeb, when we feel like quitting. Elijah walked forty days and forty nights strengthened by the meals that he had. We can say, he was fasting but he was conquering. He was conquering the depression, he was defeating the hurtful words of Jezebel, and he was pressing on towards his goal set by GOD.
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” We have a living GOD inside of us who keeps us together without breaking apart, in all circumstances. So, be of good courage, press on to reach His call for He will never leave us, nor forsake us!
