Elijah was a great Old Testament prophet, whom the Lord used mightily. Yet there came a time in the prophet’s life that he became so fearful that he ran for his life when a woman named Jezebel said she would take his life.
When the spirit of fear overcomes us it is often because we have forgotten about the greatness of God. And that we have failed to trust that God would take care of us.
Elijah should’ve reminded Himself of the God, who responded with fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice on Mount Carmel (and of the other miracles). Out of fear, we tend to make irrational and emotional decisions. It can make you run away from the will of God for your life.
Elijah became deeply depressed; he wanted to be alone. He wanted to die. He lost his appetite for living and just wanted to sleep. He just had enough.
Perhaps you are reading this devotion and you feel all alone. You have lost your appetite for living and you feel you just had enough of everything and everyone. I want to encourage you that though Elijah failed to trust God with Jezebel and ran in his own direction, God still cared for Him.
God saw what He was going though and battled with. He sent an angel to feed and encourage him. God Himself, asked Elijah, what He was doing in the wilderness and in such a lonely cave and called him out into His Presence.
There is no wilderness or cave experience that we go through that can hide us from God. Neither can it prohibit God from bringing us out by His power in our weakness. Call upon the name of the Lord! He wants to help you and speak to someone you can confide in about your feelings.
Pastor Euginio Nel
The Bowker Street Baptist Church