Feeling Isolated

Introduction

Discouragement comes to everyone. It is easy for some to be discouraged and for these they often struggle with keeping discouragement away. Others when discouraged are able to rally quickly to see possibilities and opportunities. Some have gone to the extreme of teaching that followers of Jesus should never be discouraged. One of our songs “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” has the following words in the second verse: “Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer.” I understand the intent of the author. He is following scripture’s call.

Moses’ final speech to Israel as they are getting ready to cross over the Jordan River is to tell the people not to be discouraged. When Joshua is getting ready to lead Israel, God tells him not to be discouraged. After Israel was defeated in battle at Ai because of Achan’s sin, Joshua tells the army not to be discouraged but to return to Ai and defeat the city. When Solomon is about to become king of Israel, his father, David, tells him not to be discouraged because God is with him. Paul writing to the Ephesians tells them not to be discouraged because of his imprisonment because God is still at work.

I understand the intent of the author of the song to tell us not to be discouraged, but I also understand that people are told not to be discouraged when they are discouraged. It isn’t wrong to be discouraged. It is what we do with it that makes the difference. Some retreat or withdraw; while others find ways to be energized to move forward. Today we are going to look at a story of Elijah from 1 Kings 19 that speaks of discouragement. The uniqueness of the Bible is that it allows us to see people in victory and defeat while reminding us that God uses fallible people. And to that end, scripture brings us assurance that even in our discouragement, God can use us. The problem isn’t the discouragement. The problem is allowing the discouragement to make our decisions instead of listening to God. May we listen to God.

The Story

The great battle between good and evil has taken place. God took on Baal. God soundly defeated Baal in head to head competition. When it was all said, 450 prophets of Baal were dead. There was a great victory party. Rain fell on the parched earth. Elijah got into a foot race with a chariot and won. It was about 16 miles from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel. At the end of chapter 18, Elijah is racing Ahab and his chariot to Jezreel. Elijah won the race. In every way, Baal and Ahab were defeated. So Ahab goes home and tells his wife, Jezebel, about the day’s events. Jezebel remember is the one who brought Baal worship to Israel. Those 450 prophets were her prophets. She is not pleased.

She threatens Elijah’s life. Elijah takes her threat seriously. 19:3 says Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. Elijah separates from his servant in Beersheba which is the southern most city of Judah in the Southern Kingdom. This would have been a sign of giving up. Elijah goes another day’s journey into the desert and asks God to take his life. That is an interesting twist. He leaves in order to preserve his life, but a couple of days later asks God to kill him. One day he wants to live the next day he wants to die. Discouragement does that to us. This is more than discouragement. Elijah just wants the pain to go away. His emotions are a jumble of contradictions. He is confused, uncertain, and isolated. God sends an angel who provides for Elijah physically giving him something to eat and drink. Strengthened Elijah travels to the mountain of God. Called Mt. Horeb here; it is called Mt. Sinai in Exodus.

Elijah then has a conversation with God. God asks the question “why are you here?” to give Elijah time to reflect on his purpose and direction. Elijah gives the reasons why he is not back in Israel. It is too hard there, he explains. He feels alone and isolated. God tells Elijah that he is going to pass by the cave where Elijah is staying. Elijah is to go out and meet God. A powerful wind, earthquake and fire take place, but God is not present in any of these phenomena. Instead, God appears with the sound of a whispered voice. Elijah is again asked “why are you here?” And although the same answer is given, God issues new commands. Elijah still has work to do and it will not get done with Elijah staying at Sinai. He must return to Israel.

Lessons

There are several lessons to be learned from this text. First, discouragement, confusion, uncertainty, and isolation keep us from seeing truth. Notice in 19:10 and 19:14, Elijah declares that he is the only one who is faithful to God. He sees himself as alone and isolated. But this isn’t the first time, Elijah has missed the truth. Look in 18:22. Here he says he is the only one left. Look at the truth. In 18:13, Obadiah, one of God’s prophets tells him that he personally has been preserving the lives of 100 prophets. I don’t think Elijah is thick-headed or arrogant. These feelings cause us to fail to see the truth. We distort truth because of emotions. “Everyone hates me. No one likes me. I can’t do anything right. I always mess up.” When we are uncertain and discouraged, we feel isolated and alone. We find it difficult to focus on truth. In 19:18, God tells Elijah the truth. 7000 have not bowed to Baal. Elijah is far from alone.

In the same way, when we are feeling discouraged and alone, the truth is not what we feel nor what our minds are telling us is real. God hasn’t abandoned you when you are confused. Discouraged? God is still at work. These feelings are not wrong, but what we do in response to them may be. To deny God’s presence or to believe that God has failed you, will drive you away from the one or the people of the One who can help.

Second, God acts according to his will and our need. We are not told why Elijah goes to this mountain. But it seems that Elijah is the second Moses. There are some who believe that the cave is actually the cleft of the rock even the same one that Moses stayed in to see the presence of God in Exodus 34. Same mountain; same cleft. Perhaps. Perhaps Elijah went to this mountain because he knew God was there. He knew what happened on this mountain when Israel came out of Egypt. Maybe he comes looking for a powerful display of God. But God doesn’t do what Elijah wants but God does what Elijah needs. We might believe that a dramatic display of God’s presence is needed. Not so. God reveals himself in the gentle whisper. Here is the point. We expect God to do certain things. We expect God to reveal his power in certain ways. And when he doesn’t meet our expectations then God has disappointed us and our discouragement increases.

We are tempted and we expect God to take away the temptation when instead God gives us an alternative option. But we do not see the option because we are waiting for God to take the desire away. A loved one is ill and we expect God to heal. Instead God gives us lots of support as our loved one isn’t healed. But we feel that God has abandoned us because he didn’t do what we expected him to do. Our expectations bind God and in turn bind our faith. We believe what God has done for one is what is supposed to do for all. A conditional faith is idolatry. Faith trusts that God is acting for our good. It doesn’t mean that we don’t question; nor express frustration; nor pray for change. It does mean that this struggle is more about learning to trust God. Elijah had to learn this as well.

Third, the key to dealing with discouragement is having a job to do. Some argue that discouragement is bad. It isn’t. It is a fact of life. We all get discouraged, but dealing with discouragement and the accompanying feelings of confusion and isolation is to focus on a direction. Easier said than done. Twice God asks Elijah what he is doing at Sinai. And both times, Elijah answers with a focus on how discouraged he is. God’s response is to give Elijah a job to do. He has some work to do including finding his replacement.

In our discouragement we isolate ourselves. This is a natural response. We pull away and isolate ourselves in order to heal. But after a time of healing, then it is time to refocus. This is difficult. But it also takes the focus off our uncertainty and moves our focus on something beyond ourselves. We must remember that God has something for us to do. Every day is about being light in a dark world. We are God’s ambassadors. We help people see God.

Joshua was discouraged when he became Israel’s new leader and God gave him a job to meditate on his word every day. The Ephesians were discouraged because Paul was in prison and Paul gave them the job to pray. Discouraged? Feeling isolated? Go visit a nursing home; send a note of encouragement to someone; make a phone call; pay for the cup of coffee for the person behind you; take a child bowling; invest in the life of someone else and show them who God is.

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