A little girl had been trying for months to learn the art of tying her shoes. She finally grasped the knack and was able to do it by herself. Her parents expected the child to be delighted, but were surprised by her disappointment. Her father asked why she was crying. She sobbed, "I just learned how to tie my shoes." He said, "That’s wonderful, Honey, but why are you crying?" She replied, "Because now I’ll have to do it all by myself for the rest of my life."
One of the unwritten laws of life seems to be that when you experience a great high in life that a low is coming. It’s rare when one gets to live on the mountaintop—usually we get a few moments, and then come tumbling down. There’s a phrase that describes it. “Reality is setting in.”
You can count on it in your spiritual life—especially there. After a great victory comes a time of defeats and disappointments. You can see it in the lives of many Christians, and it is bound to happen in our lives as well. It is not long after Peter leads many to the Lord on that first sermon preached that he is arrested and beaten. Paul experienced many lows in his ministries—beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, left for dead. If it has happened to the stalwarts of the faith, it will happen to us.
This morning I want to deal with discouragement. The main reason for this is because we have just experienced a great mountaintop here at the church, with almost 100 different children here for vacation bible school. As you know, now is the time for follow-up, but what happens when nothing happens, or when the worst happens? How do we handle discouragement?
What do we do when the boss comes around and says that there are cutbacks being made in the company, and it’s time to let you go? What happens when it seems as though many people are busy spreading lies and rumors about you, assassinating your character? What do you do when the highs in life are immediately replaced by a new low?
This morning, I want to look at the life of Elijah, and see how he dealt with discouragement. How many of you are familiar with the life of Elijah? He’s one of the more well-known prophets in the OT. He had that contest with the prophets of Baal, remember? EXPLAIN THE STORY OF 450 prophets OF BAAL AGAINST ELIJAH.
What a great victory! He trusted in God to deliver, and God kept his promises! Yet, that brings us to chapter 19.
1 Kings 19
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 and ran for his life.
Let this be a lesson to you men here this morning. Elijah wasn’t afraid of taking on 450 men, but one angry woman and ran for his life. But here’s Elijah—great victory, but now, extremely discouraged and distressed. And Elijah, instead of dealing with it properly, runs! In fact, he runs all the way across town! Instead of trusting in the same God who took care of him before, he runs 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." He runs all the way out of Jerusalem and to the southern most part of Judah and throws his own pity party.
Anybody ever felt that bad before? God, take my life! Well, most of us would probably never admit it, but we all have felt depressed and discouraged before. That is exactly where Elijah is. Maybe you’ve never said “Take my life,” but maybe you’ve said things like these:
“God, I don’t know why I keep trying to be honest where I work. Everyone else at the company cheats and steals, leaves work early and still gets paid for a full day. I just want to give in! I’m tired of keeping my testimony in front of all of these people!”
“God, I’m doing my best to serve you, but the problems keep coming my way, and now I don’t even know how I’m going to pay this bill. I thought I was following you and doing what you want, and this is how you repay me?”
“God, I started that Sunday school ministry, and no one is showing up. And even when they do, I don’t get any positive feedback. I’m so discouraged, I just want to quit!”
Any thoughts like that this morning? How do we deal with discouragement? Three ways this morning, and we are going to see them here in 1 Kings 19.
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.
The first way is to EXAMINE YOURSELF—EAT AND SLEEP.
Wow. Pretty profound statement, isn’t it? Elijah lays down, and an angel comes and feeds him. He eats, lays down again, and is fed again by an angel. This time, he gets up and travels 40 days and nights until he reaches Horeb.
I could call up Lynelle and have her talk about the effects of not properly eating or sleeping, but let me tell you my experience with Matthew. If he hasn’t eaten in a while, he gets a little upset. If he gets too tired because of how stimulated he is, he gets cranky. Combine the two, and you have a recipe for a REALLY UPSET BABY. But then, Mommy and Daddy don’t get enough sleep. And if Mommy and Daddy don’t get enough sleep, what happens to us? We get cranky, we get upset. We become like porcupines. You better watch what you say, because the slightest thing that rubs us the wrong way, and we’ll snap at you.
Jesus knew that the human body needs proper nourishment. Mark 6:30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
It almost seems ridiculous to think this, but when you are discouraged, make sure you are eating right and resting right. When you are too tired and too hungry, you have a tendency to think wrong thoughts and get discouraged. In fact, one of the best things you can do is get a physical, because if you are not taking care of your physical body, it will affect your ability to function in this world.
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Maybe you should cut back for a time. You do not want to become weary in doing good. Persevere, but take some time if you are discouraged.
Hebrews 12:3
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When you become weary, you lose heart. You start to think self-defeating thoughts. You start to think that nothing is going to go right for you, so why bother? Guess what? When you are tired, when you are not eating right, you are adding to your weariness.
When you are discouraged, examine your life. Are you eating right? Are you getting enough sleep? Maybe you need a break. But you need to make sure you are taking care of yourself.
Here’s the second part:
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."
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. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Did you catch it? It’s almost hidden in there, because even after it happens, Elijah is still discouraged. Look again at verse 11-13.
There was a powerful wind that came—surely God was in the wind! But he wasn’t there. Then a powerful earthquake, but still no God. And then, a fire came, but still God was not there. Finally, a gentile whisper, a still small voice, a brief sound of silence, and there He was.
The second thing we need to do is examine your focus (on God)
You know why we get discouraged in ministry so often? It’s because we think God is only in the big things. 100 kids for VBS! God was in it! God’s in the young adult Sunday school class as well. We had __________ this morning. God was in the children’s Sunday school class as well. We had _______ this morning. Who knows how many, or how few will be here for the youth group meetings, but God will be there as well.
You see, we bring our own preconceived notions about what God does and how he blesses. Warren Wiersbe wrote: “Elijah wanted something accomplished that was loud and big, but sometimes God prefers that which is still and small. It is not for us to dictate to God what methods He should use. It is our duty only to trust and obey.”
When you are discouraged because you are working hard, do His work, and nothing big happens, remember that God works in both the big and the small. Don’t limit God to the fires, the winds, or the earthquakes. Look for Him everywhere. He works in everything. Even in that small Sunday School class of two. Even in that job where everyone is against you. Even in the most remote of places, God is there, and God is working.
Carbondale Bible Fellowship is having there parade and carnival on August 9th. There’s going to be a lot of people helping, and there will be a lot of people coming through. But after all is said and done, maybe no one ends up going to church. Does that mean that God wasn’t there? No. Sometimes we limit God to working in really big ways rather than in little ways.
Often times, it’s those small ways that add up in life. I can look back, and see where God led us, things that happened in our lives that prompted us to act in certain ways. They were small at the time, yet they led us here. There was no big event that brought James and Lynelle here to Berean Church, but God led us here—in the still small voices, in the little things in life. Many of you have had similar things happen to you where you can look back over your life and see God move in the same way. Don’t limit God to the big events.
Isaiah 55
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Finally, let’s look at the rest of this chapter.
13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 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."
15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you."
"Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.
The third thing that you do is you enlist help.
I’ve said it before from the pulpit, I’ll say it again many more times—we were never meant to live life alone. I can prove it—Genesis 2:18 says, “The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."”
Often times we get discouraged in life because we are doing everything by ourselves, never letting others into our lives. We all have our own personal bubble, which we rarely let others into. It’s because we don’t like getting hurt in life, so we think that if we can push people out and keep them out, they’ll never get the chance to hurt us.
The only problem with that kind of thinking is that it is wrong. We should not, and cannot, live life like that. It will only hurt us in the end, because we are denying ourselves the power of life with other believers.
Elijah believed that he was alone; in fact, he said it here twice in this passage. Yet God simply reminded him that he was not alone. It was a fact that he should have remembered. Look at 1 Kings 18:13. READ IT. There were at least 100, yet Elijah alone was the only one left.
We like the movies where a man overcomes incredible odds to defeat the bad guy and win the day. We like our heroes to go it alone and tackle everyone and make it out alive. We like those kinds of movies because we live life that way. We go it alone and try to make it out alive, yet we never do. That’s because we were never meant to be alone in this world.
Sing the first part of this song with me: “I’m so glad I’m a part of the FAMILY OF GOD.” That’s good enough. We are family. Family entails community. It means that we have lots of brothers and sisters to help us. When Elijah was overwhelmed, God reassured him that he wasn’t alone. And then, Elijah went and enlisted a helper, Elisha.
Let me encourage you this morning. When you are discouraged in life, you need help. Not professional help—family help. Turn to your brothers and sisters. Remember that you are not alone; you never were meant to be alone. Find someone to walk this life with; share and be honest with that person. And it should not just be your spouse! Or maybe you should start with your spouse, if you haven’t yet. But find someone that you can do that with on a regular consistent basis. Find someone that you can call in the middle of the night. Someone who will pray for you during the dark times, and come alongside of you to walk with you the rest of the way. Enlist help!
Here’s the last thing—whoa, wait a minute! You said three things! I’m looking at my notes, and it says three things, and now you’re adding something? Yes, and this is the most important point. Don’t stop doing serving God.
15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
God didn’t let Elijah off the hook during this time. He told him to get back to work. Sometimes we use our discouragement to take a permanent sabbatical from doing God’s work. That’s not right. You might need a break for a little bit, but you never get to retire.
Pastor’s retire, but their work doesn’t end when the church stops paying. You see, pastors don’t work for the church; they work for God. And His work never ends. Don’t use your discouragement as an excuse to sign out of life completely—get back to God’s work. Stay at it, but take the time to examine your life, examine your focus on God, and enlist help.
In a far country lived a band of minstrels who traveled from town to town presenting music to make a living. They had not been doing well. Times were hard; there was little money for common folk to come to hear the minstrels, even though their fee was small. Attendance had been falling off, so early one evening the group met to discuss their plight. "I see no reason for opening tonight," one said. "To make things even worse than they may have been, it is starting to snow. Who will venture out on a night like this?" "I agree," another disheartened singer said. "Last night we performed for just a handful. Fewer will come tonight. Why not give back their meager fees and cancel the concert? No one can expect us to go on when just a few are in the audience." "How can anyone do his best for so few?" a third inquired. Then he turned to another sitting beside him. "What do you think?" The man appealed to was older than the others. He looked straight at his troupe. "I know you are discouraged. I am too. But we have a responsibility to those who might come. We will go on. And we will do the best job of which we are capable. It is not the fault of those who come that others do not. They should not be punished with less than the best we can give." Heartened by his words, the minstrels went ahead with their show. They never performed better. When the show was over and the small audience gone, the old man called his troupe to him. In his hand was a note, handed to him by one of the audience just before the doors closed behind him. "Listen to this, my friends!" Something electrifying in his tone of voice made them turn to him in anticipation. Slowly the old man read: "Thank you for a beautiful performance." It was signed very simply--"Your King."
Discouragement comes in all shapes and sizes, but it never has to knock you out. Examine your life. Examine your focus. And enlist help.
