It’s all too much!

“It’s all too much!” Have you ever said these words? You might have said them to yourself, to others, or to God. But I’m guessing everyone reading this article will have felt like this, probably not just once, but many times. I certainly have. Perhaps you even feel this way right now. The Old Testament prophet Elijah certainly felt like this. Let’s take a look at his story.

Elijah bursts on the scene in 1 Kings 17 and we see a period of intense closeness to God. In the power of God, Elijah predicts the weather, is fed by ravens, is the means of life-sustaining food for a widow, and raises the dead! He confronts King Ahab, calls down fire from heaven, prays for rain, and runs faster than any Olympian. Elijah has a dramatic and “successful” ministry.

But then along comes Jezebel who says, “‘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’” (1 Kings 19:2, NIV). (That is, like the prophets of Baal who had all been killed.) “Successful” Elijah is terrified and runs for his life. How things can change—even in an instant. We join him as he sits under a tree and cries out to God, “‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. “‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors’” (1 Kings 19:4).

In my first year as a missionary, I prayed like this more times than I can tell you. I cannot count the number of times I told my husband that I had to leave Japan. I just couldn’t figure out how to do it honourably! It was a desperate time and I thought up some pretty desperate schemes.

Another missionary shared with me his desire to run on a particularly disastrous Sunday morning as he tried to manage his children, sort out the church and the people in it, and preach a sermon in another language. He wondered, What am I doing here? Why don’t I just stalk out the door and never come back? He told me he turned to his wife and mouthed the words, “I can’t go up there and preach!” She mouthed back, “You have to.” With no apparent chance of escape, he bowed his head in the 30 seconds left and prayed for help. Elijah is in just such a place in this chapter.

What about you? Perhaps you have witnessed to someone more times than you can remember, but they still refuse to listen. Perhaps you feel your ministry has achieved nothing. If that’s the way you feel, you aren’t the first.

But look what happens next. Elijah is asleep in the desert, without a soul for company—just his tortured thoughts and his fear. But God does not leave him like that. He sends his angel to Elijah to bring him life-sustaining food and drink—not just once, but twice. Not only that, the angel gets a fire going, which brings Elijah warmth and comfort in the chilly desert night.

God knew exactly where his servant was, and exactly what he needed. And God met those needs —of warmth, comfort, food, drink, encouragement, and company. Perhaps we could also say that part of God’s meeting of Elijah’s needs was in granting him rest and sleep in the first place. I certainly don’t find it easy to sleep when my mind is disturbed. Please be encouraged—cry out to God like Elijah. He knows where you are, what you struggle with, and how to best meet your needs. Allow him to minister to you—perhaps through others, perhaps even through angels.

Once Elijah is physically strengthened—restoration part one—he meets with God at Horeb. So begins restoration part two. This time God meets Elijah’s spiritual needs and recommissions him for the task ahead. 1 Kings 19:9b: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” asked God. God graciously gives Elijah the opportunity to explain his dilemma—as if God doesn’t already know. So Elijah responds, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn 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” (1 Kings 19:10). Elijah expresses his frustrations to God—he’d done everything right, but things had gone wrong. Have you ever said something like, “But God, I’ve done everything you’ve asked, but people aren’t listening. It isn’t making any difference and now look at the state I’m in?” God wants to hear from you—he wants to hear your frustrations and your fears. Talk to him like Elijah did.

God then graciously and magnificently reveals himself to Elijah; not in the tornado-like wind, not in the trembling earthquake, and not in the raging fire. “After the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12). That gentle whisper or still small voice was the very presence of God in that place.

I am left wondering why God didn’t show himself in the wind, the earthquake, or fire. Perhaps it’s because Elijah had seen God stop rain and bring rain. He had seen God raise people to life. He had seen God’s fire. Elijah had seen the dramatic stuff. Dramatics isn’t what Elijah needs at this point. I think God chose to meet with Elijah in the gentlest and most personal way possible—God knew he needed the personal touch.

Elijah shouldn’t really have been at Horeb but God, being the gracious God he is, met Elijah there. Not only that, he met him with gentleness, practical care, and a re-calling to do his work. “The LORD said to him, ‘Go back the way you came’” (1 Kings 19:15).

Sometimes we too find ourselves feeling like Elijah. We too may feel that it’s all too much. When those times come, let me encourage you to choose to believe that God knows you and cares for you, and wants to minister to you—just like he did to Elijah.

Interact

1. Meditate on 1 Kings 17-19 and make a note of points of similarity and difference between Elijah and yourself.
2. Read CS Lewis’ The Horse and His Boy especially chapter 11 “The Unwelcome Fellow Traveller”.
3. Meditate on a psalm of lament (e.g. Psalms 4, 6, or 7). Write your own psalm to God based on your own experiences and feelings.
4. Read John 21:15-18. Thank God for his care for Elijah, for Peter, and for you—for his physical care, his spiritual care, and his complete restoration.
5. If you need to, consider talking to a trusted friend or colleague—don’t suffer and struggle alone with fear, depression, or feelings of failure.
6. Consider if you need to take some time off for holiday or spiritual renewal. Take steps to make it happen.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that you met Elijah at his point of need. Thank you that you didn’t leave him all alone. Thank you that you gave him physical and spiritual refreshment. Lord, please meet me at my point of need. Sometimes I don’t even know what I need, or what is best for me. Lord, in those times, help me to trust in you and in your gentle love for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.