Have you ever found yourself in a pit over your head, and there seemed to be no way out? How did you get that far? You have served God with all your heart, and then one day, the passion suddenly disappeared. Well, I am here to tell you that there is hope. Consider this the hand you need to pull you back out!
We will look at the example of Elijah. How shocking that this great prophet of God would also find himself in a pit, and more curious still is God’s first priority. It’s not what you think!
One of my favorite Bible stories of all time is the one with Elijah on Mt. Carmel in 1 Kings 18, when he socked it to the prophets of Baal!
Elijah had declared that there would be no rain in the land until he called for it because King Ahab and Queen Jezebel had essentially run the nation of God’s chosen people into the toilet with their worship of Baal and Asherah. Finally, after the land had suffered severally from the drought, it was time to do something about it. Elijah called all of the prophets of Baal and Ahserah together to settle the score once and for all.
There they met on top of Mt. Carmel, and it was on! The false prophets went first. They beat themselves to a frenzy as they begged and cried out to their gods who never answered. Conversely, Elijah prayed a simple prayer to the one, true, living God who answered with fire. It consumed the sacrifice, the altar, and even licked up all the water in the surrounding trenches. Yes, God proved what a mighty God He is!
Soon after this victory came the sound of the “abundance of rain!” Chalk up another great victory for the people of God! Immediately after this event, the Holy Spirit came upon Elijah, and he ran so fast that he made it to the town of Jezreel before King Ahab could get there in his horse-drawn chariot. Yes, he ran faster than a horse! Talk about a man full of the Spirit of God and walking in a mighty victory!
Can this really be the same person who just moments later would be wallowing in a state of depression begging to die? From a mighty victory to a death wish in a matter of a few verses?
Here is where the story turns and where we might even relate a bit. We too have experienced some of the most extraordinary victories in the church and in our lives at times, but we are often drawn by the temptation to subsist on those past experiences rather than continually seeking God for fresh bread. Consequently, our old bread is getting stale, and it no longer sustains us. We then find ourselves “dry and crusty.”
Moving on, let’s see what caused this change in Elijah…
Queen Jezebel had threatened Elijah’s life after this, and he ran into the desert horrified to the point of suicide. Catch this. Elijah had gone straight from a mighty victory to a suicidal death wish in a mere moment. He found himself in the depths of despair, and that very same thing can happen to any of us. There is no shame when you find yourself here. Notice in this Scripture that instead of condemning or reprimanding Elijah, God sent an angel to minister to him.
Please understand, in the same way, this is not to condemn any of you or step on anyone’s toes if you are in a difficult place. Rather, this is meant to offer the same help and hope to you that Elijah experienced. If even one of the greatest men of God in history can slip into such a desert place, it can happen to any of us. However, the lessons in this chapter can be just the hand that you need to pull you out.
I see six crucial points of God’s deliverance from this story:
1. God took care of Elijah’s physical needs first. He had become exhausted and famished. It is not uncommon for us to feel wiped out after experiencing a season of spiritual success, but that can be a dangerous place. We often let our guard down and don’t even notice the slump until it hits us hard. Physical exhaustion can lead us to a pit, and the pit can deplete us physically. It is a never-ending cycle, but God understands that very well, as is evidenced in the next several verses:
Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 1 Kings 19:5-6 NIV
We are tri-dimensional beings. We are body, soul, and spirit. When one is weak or damaged, it affects the rest. Elijah had become physically weak, and before God could provide the spiritual healing he needed, Elijah needed to be fortified physically. God allowed him to sleep for a while first, and then He sent an angel to provide nourishing food to strengthen him for his journey. So, yes, there are times the most important thing we need is a good meal and some rest.
So, practically speaking, I want to ask you, how are you taking care of your physical health? How are you maintaining the Temple of the Holy Spirit? Our entire perspective and ability to rise up out of our desert place is greatly influenced by our physical health. Make sure you are eating well, avoiding junk, drinking plenty of water, exercising, balancing work and rest, and getting plenty of sleep so that you will be strong enough to fight the good fight. You see, God does care about your physical being too!
2. Have we become wonder junkies? Let’s look at one more area that can keep us in a pit and missing out on hearing from God. Are we looking for God to move only in the spectacular, then we miss Him altogether? Do we expect God to move only according to our past experiences? Just like Elijah, sometimes we must learn to find God where He is and listen to His still, small voice, even in the ordinary moments of life.
…and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:12b NKJV
We must be careful not to assume that if we aren’t seeing the magnificent, than God must not be at work at all. God cannot be boxed in to our limited boxes of personal experience. When we try to limit God, we miss Him altogether. Sometimes, He speaks to us in a still small voice, or even in the mundane. We need to learn to recognize Him however He chooses to reveal Himself to us.
Don’t give up or become discouraged because God isn’t moving in the way You want or expect Him to. He is very much alive and active in the church and in our lives. Don’t miss Him because it doesn’t look like you think it should. Don’t allow yourself to dry out when He offers plentiful streams of living water to refresh you right here, in this place, right now.
On the other hand, don’t use this as an excuse to settle for a dull and lifeless spiritual life either. Keep your eyes open and seek Him with all that is in you. He has promised that you WILL find Him when you look for Him with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Instead of seeking wonders, seek God. The wonders will follow.
I will explore several other major points from 1 Kings 19 in more detail later, but here are some things I have learned from Elijah’s story that can help us either avoid or get out of our pits:
- Take care of your physical health as well as your emotional and spiritual well being. Eat well and rest well.
- Instead of seeking wonders, seek God with all your heart. The wonders will follow. Listen to His still small voice in the ordinary of life.
- Recognize where you are. Assess the reality of your situation. “What are you doing here?”
- Know the truth, and it will set you free. Saturate yourself in God’s Word. Your answers are there!
- Allow God to strengthen you through others. Let’s bear each other’s burdens.
- Go! Give it all to God and rediscover your purpose. Get caught up in the work of the Lord, and you will find your joy again.
Psalm 40:2 NLT says
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
Take care of yourself, seek God first, and recognize him in the ordinary, and we will explore points 3-6 next time!
