Monday Morning Encouragement July 11, 2005

Good morning! Have you ever had a time in your life where all you really wanted to do was run and hide? The problems and pressures just seem to be relentless and you almost feel like you are going to suffocate from the pressure. I think all of us go through times like that. I have currently been facing some difficult days personally and at times have just wished I could run and hide.

One of my favorite accounts in the Bible deals with Elijah the great prophet of the Old Testament. Elijah had seen God work in amazing ways in his life, including: Being fed by ravens; an inexhaustible supply of food rations; the raising of a widow woman’s dead child and a powerful display of God’s presence as he faced down the prophets of Baal. If anyone knew first hand God’s power to sustain them, it was Elijah.

Something interesting happens with Elijah. Immediately following his showdown with the prophets of Baal, Elijah learns that there is a price on his head. The queen wants him dead. Elijah responds not in faith, but in fear. The Bible tells us that he went out into the desert, leaving his servant behind and laid down wanting to die.

2 things become readily apparent with Elijah. First he has become isolated. Most of us tend to isolate ourselves in times of difficulty. In our isolation we become easy prey for fear, doubt, worry, bitterness and all of those other nasty things the enemy throws out at us. Secondarily, Elijah has become paralyzed. He is no longer effective in his service of God…he has dropped out of the race.

Fortunately for Elijah, as well as you and I, God is not willing to allow us to stay in this place of isolation and fear. God knew what Elijah needed….he needed a fresh encounter with God.

1 Kings 19:10-13 (NLT)
Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."
[11] "Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. [12] And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. [13] When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

God already knows Elijah’s heart, but He asks for an explanation anyway. When you are having times of difficulty tell God what’s bothering you. That is part of intimacy with Him.

I want you to pay close attention to what happens next. The windstorm hit, the earthquake came, the fire raged….but the Lord was not in these things. His voice was heard in the gentle whisper.

So many times when we hit seasons of despair, we want God to move in a thunderbolt or to hear a loud voice from Heaven. But what Elijah needed…and what you and I need is to truly see God. Elijah was having a focus problem. His focus had moved from God’s work to self-pity. Elijah needed to see God clearly, before he would be ready to hear God clearly.

As the account goes on, God never does respond to Elijah’s pity party, instead He gives Elijah a new mission.

Today if you are facing one of these difficult times, don’t look for the wind, earthquake or fire, but instead listen for the whisper in the wind. Ask God to open your eyes that you might see Him clearly.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl