Sermon – What To Do When Victory Leads To Exhaustion

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.”