Get Out of Your Slump

There once was a story about a man named Elijah. He was a Hebrew prophet and a reformer (activist for God). He was radical. He stood up against 450 false prophets. He sounds like a tough guy, right? Yet when he was given a message from Queen Jezebel that he was going to be dead meat, he fled into the wilderness. Jezebel was ticked off because Elijah killed all the false prophets. This story is found in the Bible in I Kings Chapter 19 verses 1 through 21.
 
Elijah went into the wilderness (desert) and asked God to let him die. He was utterly discouraged. He was having a pity party. Elijah did what many of us do; we end up in a dry place. We hide under a rock, hibernate in a cave, isolate ourselves from our friends and loved ones, even church. It feels like nothing is going our way, we feel dry; as if God left us. We wonder what is happening to us. We ask why God is allowing everything and everybody to come against us. We feel all alone. But all things work together for our good even being in the wilderness for a time. When we stare too much at our circumstances, it tends to change our perception of it. We lose focus and concentrate on the problem, thereby becoming self-occupied. 
 
God is so faithful that He always meets us right where we are. In verse 5 God sent an angel to Elijah who told him to get up and eat. The angel did this twice because the journey was too great for him. God sends us people to encourage us as well. That food gave Elijah the strength he would need for the next 40 days. We must feed our spirit in order to carry on and make it to the end of our journey. We must strengthen ourselves in the Word of God, in prayer, in worship and in fellowship with other saints. It is what keeps us going in times of disappointment, discouragement, tough circumstances, opposition, and oppression. We cannot make it on our own! We need to receive strength from God when walking through an uncertain and unknown path. We need people to come alongside us and help us through it. 
 
Elijah was once again in a cave resting when the Lord came to him (verse 9). God asked Elijah, “What are you doing here?” Elijah goes on to complain that he’s all alone, he’s the only one who is zealous for God. Again, in verse 13 the same scenario plays out.  God didn’t speak through the rocks breaking or the earthquake. The Spirit Filled Life Bible says He came in a delicate whispering voice. This is why it is so important to be quiet and listen in order to hear from God. When we pray, we need to always give God a chance to speak to us. We need to stop rambling all the time. James 1:19 says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” 
 
In verse 15 God gives Elijah three new assignments. It’s time for him to get out of his slump, his depression and get back to work, doing the Lord’s will. God also lets Elijah know that there is a remnant of 7,000 Godly people still in Israel who have not bowed down to Baal. Elijah was not all alone as he thought. You are never alone. There are many others going through what you’re experiencing. We must reach out for help and encouragement.
 
So what can we learn from Elijah’s story? We must remember to stop complaining so much when things don’t go as we think they should. God is in control. He is allowing it for a reason. We always grow from trials. Then we are able to minister to those who are going through the same thing. When they see that you came out of it victoriously, they will be encouraged by it, and it will strengthen their faith. Don’t give up. Your ministry is not washed up. You must hang in there no matter what. Those who hang in there until the very end will win the race. We are being molded, shaped, changed, and strengthened. It is an awesome thing.
 
Look at this way, God must really care for you if He is paying all this attention to you and taking the time to mold you. There must be something great waiting for you at the end of this trial. Embrace it and learn from it.