TEXT: 1st Kings 18 - 19
TITLE: What to do with Negativity / Depression - Elijah
SERIES: When Life Gets Messy
TOPIC: Depression / Negativity
OCCASION: Burnside Christian Church, November 8, 2009
PROP.:
INRODUCTION: Good morning! We are in the middle of a sermon series simply called - “When Life Gets Messy” because when life gets messy…life becomes difficult!
And so far in this series, we’ve taken a look at the messes of life…those things that cause life to become difficult; hard; painful.
Mess #1 - the mess caused by stress - so important was this message of stress that we spent two weeks learning from the life of Jesus on how to handle the pressures caused by this life!
Mess #2 - the mess associated with failure. For the mess of failure we looked into the life of the apostle Peter and his fishing trip that he went on. We learned that you need to
And what is the mess that we will look at today?
It’s the mess caused by negativity! Your attitude!!! The way you think about things can create a mess of your life. Did you know that?
Negativity has been labeled in various forms - pessimistic, depressed, BUT THEY ALL STEM FROM A NEGATIVE OUTLOOK ON LIFE!
See if you remember these characters:
ILLUSTRATION: Eeyore, Grouchy Smurf, Grumpy bear, & Grumpy Dwarf.
Cartoons have personified negativity. Negativity was demonstrated and displayed by each of these four characters.
But it’s just not the cartoons. It’s real life! Do you know someone who is a negative person? How much fun is it to be around them? Maybe your work with someone who is negative. Or you live with someone who is negative? And if the answer is no to both of those questions…careful…YOU MIGHT BE THE NEGATIVE PERSON!
And what do I mean by someone who is negative? What do they act like? Well, instead of being cheerful, bright and happy…we are gloomy, dark and depressed.
I think each of us from time to time can be negative. It’s ok to have a bad day once in a while - I think each of us are entitled to that. But if negativity and depression is where you live most of your life, then perk your ears up. Today’s sermon is exactly what you need to hear.
And since we are all prone to depression and negativity,
The question is not how to avoid negativity / depression…but how to handle depression / negativity when it comes…
Today we peer into the life of Elijah. We will learn from this great mouth piece of God about negativity. And what I love about this account in Elijah’s life is that if this godly, kingdom minded person faced a period in his life that was not good, where negativity got the better of him - chances are, you will too!
Our text comes from the historically rich book of 1st Kings.
BACKGROUND OF 1ST KINGS:
It was a roller coaster ride of good times and bad times for the nation of Israel. This God inspired book is a record of all of the earthly rulers of Israel & Judah - some good. Some bad. All along the way, God used prophets or ordained messengers to talk to God’s people and warn them when they were going astray.
BACKGROUND OF ELIJAH vs. PROPHETS of Baal.
Our story is about one of God’s most famous ordained messengers - Elijah. God’s people, under the guidance of King Ahab, have turned away from serving Jehovah God and have given Baal their attention, affection and service.
And Elijah was sick of it. In fact, he asks a very pointed, direct question:
1st Kings 18:21 21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.
So Elijah lays down a challenge. A challenge to determine which God is the true God. The God who is bigger, more powerful and real.
He tells the 450 prophets of this god baal to make an altar and offer a sacrifice to baal. He told them to get a bull, prepare it and lay it on the altar but do not light the altar. Baal was supposed to be the one to answer down with fire and consume the sacrifice given to him.
So for about 6 hours, the prophets danced around the altar, cutting themselves and still nothing…
So now it’s Elijah’s turn. He prepares an altar with a bull. And to top it off, he drenches the entire thing with water. 12 large jars filled with water have been dumped all over the wood, the sacrifice - there is no way any human could light it.
The reason Elijah did this was to prove to everyone around that God - the God HE serves - specializes in the impossible!
And so then Elijah prayed to God and asked God to answer Elijah .”. (18:37) “so these people will know that you, O Lord are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again…”
And answer - God does. He reigns down from heaven with a fire so intense that not only does the bull and wood catch fire - the ground also catches fire and the water is turned to steam!
And then notice the reaction of the people: I love it.
18:39 “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord - he is God! The Lord - He is God!”
So then Elijah kills the 450 prophets of baal and life was peachy.
The part of our story that I want to read this morning is found in 1st Kings 19:1-18
Because right after this literal mountain top experience - (the event took place on Mt. Carmel) - something happens to Elijah. Something about Elijah changes. It’s his attitude. His attitude turns very negative!
And that’s usually how it happens, isn’t it? Life is good one moment, and the next, well…not so much!
Let’s read:
1st Kings 19:1-10
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
So what causes us to be negative or grumpy or grouchy or depressed? 4 mistakes that lead to negativity…
Mistake #1
I. We focus on our feelings rather than the facts (1st Kings 19:3,4)
Did you see what happened to Elijah? The King’s wife, Jezebel, didn’t like what Elijah just did so she sends a messenger with a threat that she will kill Elijah!
And verse 3 says:
“3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life.”
Because Elijah was FEELING scared, he ran away to a place he FELT safe. But what were the facts?
A. The FACTS:
FACT #1 - Jezebel wasn’t going to kill Elijah
Jezebel wasn’t going to kill Elijah - She wasn’t. It was an empty threat. If you were going to kill someone, would you send a messenger to tell them? No, you would send an assassin. Furthermore, the last thing that she would want is to make Elijah a martyr. And remember, she was fully aware of what Elijah’s God did on Mt. Carmel, do you think she would want to mess with Elijah’s God and make Him angry?? That leads me to fact #2
FACT #2 - God is powerful!
God is powerful! Did Elijah so quickly forget the power God displayed on an altar? Could not God protect Elijah from an empty threat given by the hand of a puny queen?
But instead of focusing on the facts, Elijah let his FEELINGS get the best of him. And negativity set in.
How frequently do you let your feelings cloud what to be true???
ILLUSTRATION: I have seen Dave Ramsey explain it this way: He will ask everyone to stand up close their eyes, and have them point North. What ends up happening is that everyone chooses a different way - a way that seems right to them. They ‘feel’ as though the direction they are pointing is north. But what they ’feel’ and what is true are two different things completely!
And so I hear people say things like, “God can’t possibly love me.” or “I don’t feel close to God”
But here’s what you must remember…you must remember the
B. THE PURPOSE OF EMOTIONS
You see, emotions are not a bad thing. They were given to us by God! But we have to remember WHY God gave us emotions.
Emotions were not meant to guide your thinking; but to express what you‘re thinking!
And for those who are letting the emotions dictate what they think, it’s a classic case of the tail wagging the dog (show picture)!
You’re letting something be in control that was never meant to be in control. And so if you feeling negative or depressed or know someone who is…remember - FOCUS ON THE FACTS…NOT YOUR FEELINGS!
Second thing we tend to do to spur on negativity:
Mistake #2
II. We compare ourselves with others (1st Kings 19:4)
Nothing will sour your attitude more quickly than comparing yourself with someone else!
Elijah makes his complaint to God: (verse 4) “…I have had enough Lord,’ he said, ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
Elijah was undoubtedly mad at himself for running. And so now he began to compare his actions with the actions of other prophets of the past who were brave!
Let me ask you a question -
A. Why we compare:
Because we are unhappy or dis-satisfied with something about ourselves or our life. Whether it’s the way we look - “I wish I looked like THAT!”…Our job - “I wish I had HIS job and HIS salary”…Our talents - “If only I had knew how to do that!”
Until you are content with the person God made you to be and with the blessings God has given you personally in life, you will always be comparing yourself to others. (So how do I learn to be content with the blessings I’ve been given?)
Take time to write down your blessings. The things God has given you. Physically make a list and keep that list with you!
Each time you catch yourself being unhappy with your life - refer to the list of things God has given you!
You will soon learn that there’s a problem when we compare ourselves to others…
B. the problem of comparison
We usually compare our weaknesses to their strengths! We forget that we have strengths and that they have weaknesses. You are a special masterpiece designed by God…a God who never ever makes mistakes. You are PERFECT just the way you are!
So stop comparing yourself to others! Nothing good will come from that!
Mistake #3 Third thing we do that increases our negativity is…
III. We falsely blame ourselves (1st Kings 19:10)
Listen to Elijah hammer himself in verse 10:
“Elijah replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword.”
Elijah was blaming himself for failing to change the nation and he took it quite personally. What he needed to remember was that he cannot make the choices for his people. God has given everyone the opportunity to choose for themselves. And Elijah’s people had chosen…be as it was a poor choice…it was still their choice!
A. Elijah did what was asked of him. And at the end of the day, that’s all you and I can do - Do what God asks of you. And if you’ve done that - then sleep well.
B. You can’t control people - I know a LOT of heartbroken parents who have kids who are grown and are not living the way they would like for their kids to live - they are falsely blaming themselves! They are adults making their own choices in life.
Mistake #4
IV. We exaggerate the negative (1st Kings 19:10)
Elijah did this. He turned a mole hill…into a mountain.
Elijah in his complaints to God, grossly exaggerated the negative in verse 10 -
“I am the only one left and they are trying to kill me too!”
But we know this was an exaggeration. Jump down to verse 18.
Vs. 18 - “Yet I reserve 7,000 in Israel - all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”
There is a big difference between 1 and 7000. 6,999 to be exact.
Usually, things aren’t as bad as what we make them out to be! We tend to over exaggerate the bad things in life - ESPECIALLY WHEN WE’RE TIRED!
So that is what we tend to do…these are the mistakes that we make that lead us to have a negative attitude.
1. We focus on our feelings instead of the facts
2. We compare ourselves with others
3. We falsely blame ourselves
4. We exaggerate the negative
But I want to quickly go over God’s remedy for a negative attitude also contained within the story of Elijah.
GOD’S REMEDY FOR NEGATIVITY:
1. Take care of your physical needs - 1st Kings 19:5-7
Did you notice? First Elijah sleeps. Then Elijah gets up and eats and drinks. Then Elijah sleeps. And then Elijah gets up and eats some more.
Negativity comes about if you are tired and depleted! Having a good attitude isn’t impossible if you aren’t healthy or well rested, but it becomes more difficult! In order to put Elijah back on track in having a good attitude, God took care of Elijah’s physical well being first and foremost. Maybe that’s what you need! Rest and relaxation to get your attitude back to good!
God’s 2nd remedy for negativity:
2. Give your frustrations to God - 1st King 19:10
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
God allows Elijah to tell Him his frustrations. And guess what? God allows us to tell Him our frustrations as well!
I don’t think the problem for most of us is telling God our problems…the problem we have is LEAVING our problems with God!
But that’s what we are to do…Leave your problems and frustrations and hurts at the feet of Jesus. Do not pick them up again. GIVE THEM TO GOD…LEAVE THEM WITH GOD!
And finally, God’s 3rd remedy for negativity:
3. Get a renewed, right perspective of God 1st Kings 19:11, 12 -
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
I love these two verses recorded in Elijah’s story. What Elijah needed was a fresh awareness of God! And God showed up in a big way! I have no doubt that Elijah viewed God differently from that day on!
I have no doubt that many of us need a renewed, right perspective of God! Our wonder and awe of God is a little dingy, dull and forgotten. It needs to be awaken and revitalized!
What I find interesting in Elijah’s case is that God showed up not in the wind, or the earthquake or the fire…but in the gentle whisper. To look for God only in something big (rallies, revivals, conferences, high profile preachers) may be to miss him because he is often found gently whispering in the quietness of a humbled heart. Are you listening for God?
Take a step back from the noise and activity of your busy life and listen humbly and quietly for his guidance. It may come when you least expect it!
WELL IT’S TIME TO WRAP THIS UP. And I want to end this by asking you two questions:
APPLICATION:
1. Which one of Elijah’s mistakes is most likely to cause negativity in your life?
2. Which one of God’s remedies do you need most in your life?
We come now to our time of decision. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ or made him the joy of your life, won’t you consider doing that today? Let’s stand and sing…
