Have you ever felt like you are the only one that has ever gone through the hurt and pain that you are experiencing? No one else has ever gone through what you're going through. You can't see the forest for the trees. You know what I'm talking about, where the only thing that goes through you mind is poor, poor me, will someone throw me a lifesaver, and I don't mean the candy. The good news is that you're NOT ALONE. Even the mighty men of God in the Bible, David, Solomon, Paul, Peter,and yes even Jesus all went through those feelings.
I want to take the time and focus on Elijah. We see this mighty man of God that has done many miracles now cowered in a cave afraid for his life and feeling that he is all alone. It is easy to understand how Elijah had just given up on life. After all he had received a death threat from the queen, who had all the other prophets of God killed. Now he was hiding in a cave wanting to die because he was overwhelmed by life's circumstances.
At one point or another we have all felt like we have been buried by a mountain of despair and just want to stay in bed throwing a pity party for ourselves. Maybe just sit down with a box of tissues and chocolates and watch our favorite movie that makes us cry so that we can escape from what is really going on in our lives. Only having to face the scales going up and what we were trying to escape from the next day.
God had provided twice for Elijah so that he could have strength to go 40 days without food so he could get to the mountian. Yet again as we have seen before that our hurts keep us from remembering what God has done for us. One of the best ways that I have found is to keep a journal so that when times are bad I can go back and see what God has done. Another is writing down everyday at least 5 things you are thankful for. Many times I find that as I do it throughout the day I come up with a lot more than 5 things to be thankful. Sometimes it may start with that I'm thankful just for waking up that morning, just by doing this I have noticed that my days go by in a lot better mind frame than when I don't. Also when you take your eyes off of how bad things are you are able to see that you are not alone.
One thing that God did for Elijah was send him out to anoint several leaders and Elisha as his replacement. When we get busy at something other than focusing on what is going on in your life it makes it hard to, as my husband's friend would say, zoom the microscope in on ourselves. When we zoom out then we are able to see the forest.
I want to take the time and focus on Elijah. We see this mighty man of God that has done many miracles now cowered in a cave afraid for his life and feeling that he is all alone. It is easy to understand how Elijah had just given up on life. After all he had received a death threat from the queen, who had all the other prophets of God killed. Now he was hiding in a cave wanting to die because he was overwhelmed by life's circumstances.
At one point or another we have all felt like we have been buried by a mountain of despair and just want to stay in bed throwing a pity party for ourselves. Maybe just sit down with a box of tissues and chocolates and watch our favorite movie that makes us cry so that we can escape from what is really going on in our lives. Only having to face the scales going up and what we were trying to escape from the next day.
God had provided twice for Elijah so that he could have strength to go 40 days without food so he could get to the mountian. Yet again as we have seen before that our hurts keep us from remembering what God has done for us. One of the best ways that I have found is to keep a journal so that when times are bad I can go back and see what God has done. Another is writing down everyday at least 5 things you are thankful for. Many times I find that as I do it throughout the day I come up with a lot more than 5 things to be thankful. Sometimes it may start with that I'm thankful just for waking up that morning, just by doing this I have noticed that my days go by in a lot better mind frame than when I don't. Also when you take your eyes off of how bad things are you are able to see that you are not alone.
One thing that God did for Elijah was send him out to anoint several leaders and Elisha as his replacement. When we get busy at something other than focusing on what is going on in your life it makes it hard to, as my husband's friend would say, zoom the microscope in on ourselves. When we zoom out then we are able to see the forest.