I have had some really crazy hard days. To the point that I want to give up. Can you relate to this?
“Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.”
1 Kings 19:3-8
God listened. He heard. He provided. He didn’t judge. He didn’t rub it in his face.
God wants the truth. God wants our heart. If we have enough faith to tell God the honest hard ugly truth…THAT is when we are absolutely trusting Him in faith. No manipulation. No making deals. No cookie cutter spiritual sounding words.
Our true heart. Whatever that is. Let me give you a little tip. He knows it all anyway. Why? Because he created you and he knows every single hair on your head. Every thought in your brain.
Elijah came to the end of himself. He was weary. He was afraid. He wanted to give up. All the things that the rest of us would conclude, “Oh Man! Did he ever blow it!”
Full transparency. Ummm…when am I NOT transparent? lol. I have blown it and blown it… and then blown it…again. In my despair and in my discouragement, in my whining and complaining and feeling sorry for myself, and for those true deep wounds of hurt – Jesus met me right where I was. He heard. He listened. He didn’t judge or hold it against me to show me how pathetic I am. No!!! He provided! He loved.
There have been MANY days that I wanted to give up. Too many to count. Those days when I have shouted loudly…”I have had ENOUGH, Lord!
But God does something interesting. He allows Elijah to sleep…to rest. Then he sends an angel to wake him up…to feed him. Do you see that?
He didn’t take away the situation. He didn’t remove the difficulty.
He provided what Elijah needed for the journey. Rest, food and water…the fuel to continue on what he was walking through. Dr. Tony Lambert says that “the greatest spiritual thing we can do sometimes is to take a nap…or rest.”
I know in my life, when I am overwhelmed, weary, or that in-between thing…hungry + angry = hangry…I get impatient, short, irritable, whiny, and negative. I don’t give grace. I don’t act with kindness. I mean, ya’ll. Let’s just say…”I pity da fool” who crosses my path when I’m in this crazy mad exhausted state.
Is it ever okay to be ugly or unkind? EVER? No way! Is it okay to get MAD at God because he won’t change the circumstances or get us out of the difficult situation? I’ve been there. But getting mad at the One who created me and loves me more than anyone else can love me…doesn’t EVER help me. It just makes me MORE MAD.
I hate to say it out loud…but…the Lord might not “fix” your situation the way you think He should. You have a couple of options here. You can get MAD at God or you can share your heart with Him and let Him give you what He knows you need for the specific circumstances to keep going.
Tell Him the truth! The good. The bad and the ugly. Do it! That is faith. He loves you. Believe it.
If you find yourself overwhelmed…or just TIRED…REST. REFUEL. Eat something that gives you what your body needs. Drink water. And KEEP GOING. You can do it because you’re not alone.
REST. EAT. DRINK. KEEP GOING. REPEAT! Then watch what God does.
