Prescription for Discouragement (Part III):

God knows when I’m tired and just want to roll over and sleep. He knows when I can’t pay one more bill or make a phone call to a friend of family member. We all need that critical refreshment and renewal time.   

Help me recognize when I need to schedule quiet, down-time alone and with you, God. You don’t confuse physical weariness with spiritual weakness. You allowed Elijah to sleep – then he was ready for the battle and ready to receive much-needed insight from You.

Then God appears to Elijah—not in a great and powerful wind, not through an earthquake, nor in the fire, but “after the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12). But God, I’m been zealous for you, but those Israelites—they keep rejecting you. And now I am the only one left to serve you and they’re trying to kill me too.

Once Elijah finished his pity party, God then gave Elijah his marching orders. Oh, and by the way, there remained 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed down to Baal. God knows the WHOLE story. Just like Elijah, we don’t see the entire picture, but God does!

***