FROM THE PULPIT: DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED

Discouragement is a hindrance to our Christian walk. We cannot always be on the mountain top, but we must not dwell in the valley of gloom.

One of my biblical heroes is Elijah. A word most descriptive of him is "intensity." This characterized his faith, his prayer life, his service to God, and his anger against sin.

However, here are two verses that are not expressive of what we know most about Elijah, I Kings 19:3-4.

"Elijah was afraid and ran for his life...He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord,' he said, 'Take my life...'"

We naturally wonder, why this inconsistency when he was very courageous in every event of his life, except this one? His ministry has been one of miracles, fire and sword. He prayed for God to answer by fire, and it came from heaven and consumed a water-soaked altar of sacrifice. He immediately executed all the prophets of Baal and Asherah with the sword, followed by a prayer for rain, and rain it did!

In a rage over Elijah's execution of her imported false prophets, Queen Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, "...May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them" (I Kings 19:2).

Fear and discouragement were very real to Elijah at this point. His flight from Jezebel's wrath took him a distance of nearly 100 miles. And thus alone but for the company of his own gloomy thoughts, wearied with travel in the sun-smitten waste, he took shelter under the shadow of a solitary shrub. And there the waves of depression swept over him. Here was a man destined never to die, fleeing from death, and at the same time asking for it. Weary of his work, and profoundly disappointed by what he hastily concluded was its failure, and in a fit of faithless despondency he forgot reverence, submission and obedience.

In retrospect, we know the remarkable event on Mt. Carmel was the beginning of the end to Baal worship in Israel. God had much more ahead for Elijah. His life was still needful, and God's answer to his prayer was rather to send an angel who prepared a meal, and Elijah traveled forty days and nights in the strength of that food to Mt. Horeb.

The lesson I gain from this event in Elijah's life is that continuing discouragement is inconsistent with Christian faith.

Admittedly, there are reasons that contribute to discouragement--serious health problems, loss of employment, loss of possessions and other such things.

But in the course of daily living from where does discouragement come? The Devil? Yes. He gets his dues. Also through the weakness of the flesh. But the total answer is elsewhere. Discouragement is not from outside of us. In fact, it does not exist outside of us. It is true that something outside may trigger it. But it is from the way we accept things. We determine our inner response to outward circumstances.

Discouragement is one of the strangest, strongest, most subtle, most subjective forms of self-centeredness. We need to realize that it is spiritually disabling. It drains us of energy and vitality; it is a hindrance to prayer; it demonstrates lack of faith; it is frustrating in our testimony to others; and it leads to a defeated life. And this is a tragedy.

Elijah, 40 days later, learned the real secret to God's power and sustaining grace. At Mount Horeb, God revealed three of the strongest forces of nature: tornado, earthquake and fire. But the Lord was not in these, and then God revealed Himself in a "gentle whisper," and asked the penetrating question, "What are you doing here, Elijah" (I Kings 19:13)? From there he was directed to fulfill the remainder of his life's work.

The next time we get down with discouragement, let us ask ourselves, "what am I doing here?" One thing we can know for sure, God wants us out of it.