Sermon – What to Do When Victory Leads to Exhaustion
Scripture Lesson: 1Kings 19:4-12 NLT, “Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. LORD But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.
Introduction: After his greatest success story, Elijah hit rock bottom. Sometimes doing work for God drains the work of God in us. In 1 Kings 19, a depressed and exhausted Elijah flees to the wilderness, asking to die. I remember a time in my life when I completely hit rock bottom. It felt like the walls were caving in around me, and all I wanted to do was bury myself under my covers and disappear. I was hurting and confused. Frustrated and angry. Not sure of the ‘why’ behind my circumstances. My brother’s death mage me feel that way. I was the rock in my family, and I believed being a strong man meant I had to have the answer to everyone’s problems. But I had no answer for his sudden death. Under all of it, no one could see the confusion and pain that came with it. The tears shed. The heaviness I felt. The pain caused. I wanted to keep everything and everyone afloat, yet I myself was drowning in grief. I felt like God had abandoned me. What I didn’t understand yet was that what I was walking through was not rejection and abandonment, It was life and an invitation to be refined and abide in him. In his love, God was using the pain to prune away things that held me captive. At times, the pruning season is extremely uncomfortable, but on the other side of it, you can experienced new growth.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I know Elijah felt like there was a war going on within his mind. After defeating the prophets of Baal, Elijah probably expected things to get better. Jezebel became more enraged and was seeking to kill him. God seemed to be silent and this season of his life was confusing. He needed to remind himself that although he can’t see or control everything, he serves a God who does. God does not approach Elijah with a reprimand or accusation because God understands our frame. Psalm 103:14 reminds us, “For he (God) knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.” He knows that we get tired, weak and weary. In Psalm 40, David said, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”
God comes to Elijah with exactly what he needs. He strengthens Him. After being strengthened by an angel with food, he travels to Mount Sinai, where God reveals Himself not in a wind, earthquake, or fire, but through a "gentle whisper" or "still small voice". Can you imagine feeling so alone and defeated, that He asks God to take his life, then falls sleeps under a broom tree. To his surprise, an angel provides bread and water twice, enabling Elijah to travel for 40 days to Horeb, the mountain of God. There in a cave, God reveals himself and asks, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah complains that he is the only faithful prophet left and his life is in danger. God tells Elijah to stand on the mountain. A mighty wind, earthquake, and fire pass by, but the Lord is not in them. Finally, a gentle whisper/soft voice comes. This passage highlights God's tender care for a discouraged prophet and His preference for whispering guidance over dramatic power.
"Do not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
"Faithfulness is measured not by visible results, but by quiet obedience over time." Have you ever felt so exhausted that you wondered if you could go on? Burnout is real, and it doesn’t discriminate. Demanding work seasons leave us depleted. The sleepless nights of parenting drain us dry. Ministry conflicts and setbacks leave us physically and emotionally spent. The hardest part? Burnout often strikes in the areas we care about most—our marriages, our calling, our children, our service to God. And for Christians, there’s an added layer of guilt: Shouldn’t I be joyful? Isn’t peace a fruit of the Spirit? What’s wrong with me? Here’s what helps: Yes, God wants us filled with joy and hope. But He also understands that life is hard. The Bible overflows with examples of faithful believers who hit rock bottom, their faith tested to the breaking point. The prophet Elijah is one of the most striking examples. When Victory Leads to Exhaustion First Kings 19 tells the story of a burnt-out servant of God, ready to quit. Elijah had just experienced a literal mountaintop moment—a showdown with 450 prophets of Baal where God answered with fire from heaven. You’d think he’d be riding high on faith. Instead, just verses later, we find him collapsed under a broom tree in the wilderness:
“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:4)
Wait—this is the same prophet who just called down fire from heaven? Shouldn’t his attitude be better? But God doesn’t rebuke him. He doesn’t tell Elijah to pull himself together and get back to work. Instead, he tends to his exhausted servant like a father caring for a weary child. And in God’s response, we find a roadmap for dealing with burnout.
1. Food for the Body, Rest for the Soul - 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) God’s first response to Elijah’s despair? A meal and more sleep. Not a sermon. Not a rebuke. Just basic human care. When you’re sad, anxious, or burnt out, you often lose your appetite. But being hungry on top of everything else never helps. Take time to make and eat a nourishing meal. Thank God for his provision. Don’t forget to hydrate. And rest—real rest—is vital for the soul. Take at least one day a week to stop. If that means asking for help, ask. You weren’t meant to carry the load alone. Sleep. Reflect. Connect with God through prayer and Scripture. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.
2. Listen for the Still, Small Voice - After forty days of journeying (sustained by that supernaturally nourishing meal), Elijah reached Horeb, where God met him in an unexpected way: 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. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:11-12) When you’re anxious or depressed, it can feel like God is silent. But God’s voice sometimes comes as a whisper, not a shout. He spoke gently to Elijah—no rebuke, but also no permission to wallow. He simply gave him his next assignment. Elijah might have preferred a vacation to another mission. But sometimes what we need most isn’t time off—it’s direction. A clear next step. A purpose that pulls us forward. Listen for God’s still, small voice. Ask him for guidance, then quiet yourself enough to hear the whisper.
3. Don’t Go It Alone - God let Elijah rest, fed him, gave him direction, and then did something crucial: He connected him with help. God sent Elijah to find Elisha, who immediately joined him and served alongside him for the rest of his ministry. When exhaustion and despair set in, reaching can feel impossible. But that’s exactly when we need others most. Sharing the burden doesn’t just make the load lighter—it creates opportunities for deeper connection, mutual growth, and blessing. When we invite others in, we give them the gift of being needed. Our God s sees your weariness and knows what you need.
Elijah’s story reminds us that burnout doesn’t disqualify you from God’s purposes. Even after Elijah’s collapse in the wilderness, God still had work for him to do—and provided exactly what he needed to continue. If you’re weary today, know this: God sees you. He doesn’t condemn your exhaustion or dismiss your struggles. Instead, he offers what you actually need—rest, nourishment, gentle guidance, and companions for the journey. You don’t have to have it all together. You don’t have to pretend you’re fine when you’re not. Like Elijah, you can bring your honest weariness to God and trust that he will meet you there—not with judgment, but with the tender care of a Father who knows exactly what his children need. Take the rest. Eat the meal. Listen for the whisper. And when you’re ready, let others walk with you. God hasn’t finished your story yet.
A short prayer for you today - Lord, thank You for sustaining Your servant today. For every word spoken, every prayer offered, every unseen act of faithfulness—receive it as worship. Restore their strength, calm their mind, and remind them that You are at work far beyond what they can see. Give them rest tonight, and renewed hope for the days ahead. Amen.
