Torch, Summer 1986

.. I With our fast-paced , hectic schedules ·we must remember to take care of our physical bodies . Depres– sion may be avoided and overcome, in part, by maintaining proper diet , sleep, and exercise. 3. Elijah looking up However, Elijah' s problem was more than just bodily fatigue. Depression may indeed require physical healing at times, but it most often necessitates spiritual healing . Elijah needed a vacation to fortify his strength , but even more he needed renewal to clarify his vision. In verses 8-14, God took Elijah back to the fundamentals, to his spiritual roots . The tarnish of troubles was scrubbed off, so that the radiance of God's control and care might be seen . If Elijah had gone directly to Mount Horeb , he could easily have reached his destination in ten days or so . But we notice in verse 8 that he went "forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mountain of God." Why so long? Why 40 days? Though it cannot be proven definitely, it seems likely that the Lord was causing Elijah to retrace the steps the nation of Israel had wandered for 40 years in the same wilderness . At last God brought Elijah back to the very place where he had revealed Himself to Moses and to the children of Israel. What Elijah needed was not a brand new story, but the old, old story . His problem had clouded his perspective. He needed to gain a fresh appreciation for the Lord's character and purpose . God did not cure Elijah by giving him facts . Instead , He showed Elijah a powerful pictur~. As Elijah stood on Mount Horeb , a mighty wind blasted the peak, but the Lord was not in the wind . Next, an earth– quake split the great boulders, but the Lord was not in the earthquake . Afterward, a fire roared around the prophet, but the Lord was not in the fire. At last the voice of God came on the wings of a gentle blowing . Though the picture is not inter– preted , its meaning is clear. Elijah 's concept of God was too narrow and limited. He delighted in the God of justice whose power could crush all sinners opposed to Him. He loved God 's vengeance , but he needed to learn God's mercy . Elijah wanted to win the battle over Baal , but he failed to appreciate that the Lord wanted to win the war in the hearts of men . Like James and John who wanted to destroy the Samaritans by fire (Luke 9:51-55) , Elijah had lost sight of the reality that God is seeking was a special friend who could help and cheer Elijah . James 5:17 states , "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours ." He could honestly say to discouraged people, "I know just how you feel. " He had tasted the bitterness of rejec– tion. He had wilted from the heat of adversity. He had caved in under pressure, and he had given up . Elijah was more than just a pattern ofdiscouragement. He is a pattern for victory over discouragement. lost people in order to save them . Even after this illustration of the Lord's mercy, Elijah persisted in his self-pity (verses 13-14) . Neverthe– less , the process of healing had begun . God hadn't answered all his questions , but He had put the prophet back on his feet. 4. Elijah getting up In I Kings 19:5-7, the Lord brought physical healing to Elijah. In verses 8-14, the prophet received spiritual healing . Now the timeJ-was right for psychological healing in verses 15-21. Two prescriptions enabled Elijah to get up. First, God gave him a set of responsibilities in verses 15-16 . In essence the Lord was saying, "Elijah, stop worrying and start working!" As the prophet of the Lord , Elijah was commis– sioned to anoint the new king of Syria, the new king oflsrael, and his own successor. But along with the responsibility also came reassurance . In verse 17, Elijah was encouraged by the fact of judgment. God said He would take care of the pr9blems that had brought the prophet to despair, but in His own time and in His own way . Also, in verse 18, the Lord reminded Elijah of the family of believers . Elijah wasn't nearly as alone as he had feared . There were still many believers who were standing for God , sympathetic people who could understand him and support him in his discouragement. Moreover, the Lord provided the encouragement of a companion in verses 19-21. Elisha Nevertheless, Elijah was more than just a picture of discouragement. He is a pattern for victory over discouragement. He teaches today's believer how to keep going when he feels like giving up, and how to get up after falling down . Elijah 's example offers these practical keys for overcoming discouragement. 1. Maintain proper physical health by getting adequate food , sleep , and exercise. 2. Keep the focus off self and on the Lord. 3. Refresh the memory about God 's attributes and purpose by meditating on His Word. 4. Keep busy doing what God wants you to do. 5 . Establish a network of supportive friendships . Christians are imperfect people. We strike out. We fail. We have disappointments . However, victory over discouragement is not achieved by our resources, but by God's resources. As with Elijah, God is able to provide help in time of need that enables us to keep going even when we feel like giving up. When life gets us down, God can get us up . Daniel J. Estes is Assis– tant Professor of Bible at Cedarville College. A 1974 graduate of the college, he received the Th.M. degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his family are presently in England where Dan is engaged in doctoral study at the University of Cambridge. '· 5