God’s answer when we think our difficulties are too great

During my gap year in a Christian youth hostel in Haifa, Israel, I worked with a fellow volunteer of my age who came as a traveller, was saved and stayed on. She had a lot of emotional baggage, however, and she periodically lashed out at me in anger. Given that we lived in such close quarters, conflict put an emotional stamp on the place and affected our Christian witness, so we worked hard to have healthy relationships. I tried to be peaceable and kind, but it seemed that no matter what I did this girl blew up at me at regular intervals. To be fair, she worked hard to sort through a traumatic past, but I still felt ground up in the process. At one point when she raked me down, I was in such a state that the manager of the hostel sent me off to a Christian retreat centre on the other side of Carmel for three days. In the first day and a half I ranted and raged, cried, ate, and slept. It was only towards the end of the second day that I could open my Bible and hear God speak to me.

The burden of ministry

I am reminded of this as I read of Elijah’s meltdown. He was spent in the conflict to bring Israel back to God. Yet the Lord vindicated him, the people turned, and the prophets of Baal were eliminated. It must have felt like the dawn of a new beginning with God’s blessing coming down like pelting rain. But now Jezebel threatens Elijah with destruction (1 Kings 19:2) and the prophet collapses. He, who confronted the king, hundreds of prophets of Baal and a resistant Israel with authority, is now afraid and runs for his life (1 Kings 19:3). He crosses over into Judah, giving himself a margin of safety from the northern queen, and goes to the southernmost town, Beersheba, where he lets his servant go (v.3). He is seemingly giving up his prophetic ministry and throwing in the towel. Afraid for his life, he ironically asks God to kill him (1 Kings 19:4). Like Moses (Num 11:15), like Jeremiah (Jer 20:14-18) and others, the burden of ministry has become too great for him.

God’s first answer to a difficult situation

God, however, is not finished with him and sends an angel to sustain him (1 Kings 19:5). Sensible from a psychological perspective, as Elijah is physically run down and needs rest and food, this is not all. God gently reminds the prophet that He cares for him. He does not berate him for abandoning the ministry. Instead, in the desert, a place where life cannot be sustained, He provides for life. He is not the God of death but of life. He knows where His prophet is, spiritually as well as physically. No matter how impossible and difficult Elijah’s situation, God can and does send help. Yes, it will be necessary to straighten out one or two matters but for now, it is important that the prophet is strengthened to face those issues. As the angel says, the journey is too great otherwise (1 Kings 19:7). In the meantime, the prophet’s memory is perhaps also prodded to recall how God looked after him in the same way during his years of hiding.

Recalling God’s character

Not all of us are in Christian ministry but we all face difficult decisions where God’s will points us in one direction, while our fatigue, fear or uncertainty pull us in another, to give up and abandon ship. It is encouraging to know that even God’s great servants struggled with this at times. Occasionally physical rest and sustenance are the first step before we can confront what stops us from doing God’s will. Yet, the key takeaway has more to do with God’s character, His care and provision that finds us where we are. We may feel abandoned, but God is right there when we need Him. What seems impossible and even too difficult for the Lord is never beyond Him. We are loved and understood best of all by the Lord Jesus who Himself agonised over the path He had to take but was sustained to overcome (Luke 22:41-44).

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