Elijah witnessed one of the greatest, most miraculous victories in human history. Then, he had an emotional breakdown.
How did God respond to Elijah's breakdown?
First, God sent a messenger to watch over Elijah while he slept and he gave Elijah food. We should never underestimate the healing power of physical rest and and a good meal. Many of our emotional/mental crashes can be prevented by meeting those physical needs.
However, some struggles go deeper than a physical fix. Elijah woke up and walked further to a dark cave, both physically and emotionally. God asked, "What are you doing here Elijah?" God called Elijah to question, reflect, seek out... the reason he had reached such a dark place. When we find ourselves crashing, we need to stop and prayerfully consider what led us to that place, so we can find a path out of the darkness.
God told Elijah to "stand before the Lord," and all sorts of chaos ensued...a violent wind, an earthquake, a fire, but God was not in the chaos. God spoke in a still, small voice. My life is NEVER short on chaos. It often seems that I've got crazy coming at me from every side, and you know what I desperately need in those moments? I need to hear God's STILL small voice. I need him to whisper into my crazy, "Be still... Be still and know that I am God."
Then, God asked again, "What are you doing here Elijah?" Elijah confessed that he felt like he was all alone. Fighting these battles, living life alone is hard, isolating, and depressing. We were not designed to fight this fight alone. We need Jesus. We also need each other. God told Elijah where to find others who were faithfully seeking God and He sent Elijah to them. Life is hard. We can draw strength from one another. That's why our church family is so important. That's why sometimes if that's not enough, a professional counselor may be needed.
So, here are some lessons we can learn from Elijah's breakdown:
1. Even the most faithful of disciples fall apart sometimes.
2. Never underestimate the healing power of sleep and a good meal.
3. When we find ourselves crashing, it's important to prayerfully find the cause.
4. God meets our chaos with His stillness.
5. We need each other, the church, and sometimes a professional counselor.
2. Never underestimate the healing power of sleep and a good meal.
3. When we find ourselves crashing, it's important to prayerfully find the cause.
4. God meets our chaos with His stillness.
5. We need each other, the church, and sometimes a professional counselor.
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