When you’re slumped down under that tree…

The rain fell hard and the last lumps of dirty snow law strewn about the property, like dirty dishes and crumpled napkins the morning after a festive celebration. I curled up on the couch, pulled the quilt up over my face, and cried.

Sometimes it’s strange how easily we slip into discouragement. That morning I accidentally read 1 Kings 18. I was so tired I found myself halfway through the chapter before I realized, “Wait a minute, I’m supposed to be in Deuteronomy!”

But even then I had a feeling the mistake was providential, so later I went back and re-read. It’s none other than the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal, the great showdown where the God of all Creation sends fire down from heaven and consumes the soaking wet sacrifice, proving He alone is God.

Big win for God.

And yet, right after this, when we think Elijah would be on cloud 9, elated from the thrill of victory, he leaves his servant in town so he can be alone, and he wanders all by himself a day’s journey out into the wilderness, sat down under a broom tree, and mutters the exhausted prayer of a weary soul:

“It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life.”

Elijah is just done. 

Now, in Elijah’s case, it’s well-warranted. But some of us aren’t quite such spiritual giants, and it takes considerably less than a face off with 800 Baal-worshippers in order to exhaust us.

Sometimes, quite frankly, we don’t even know what it is that drove us into the wilderness of discouragement and planted us under the proverbial broom tree to quietly despair of life. 

But no matter the circumstances, we know the culprit behind it all. The dark power behind Baal-worship is the same power behind sickness, strife, sin, the same power that relentlessly seeks to steal our courage, kill our faith, destroy our joy.

Really, the circumstances are secondary. Certainly there’s time for self-examination and considering what contributes to our discouragement, but interestingly the Bible spends much less time on self-reflection and much more time simply bringing our sorrow, and discouragement, and despair, and laying it humbly before the Father and asking Him to please restore our hope.

His gracious answers are manifold. In the next chapter we see…

• He gave Elijah a nap and a snack: Physical rest and restoration. (19:5-8)
• He gave Elijah the gift of His presence in a still, small voice: Spiritual comfort and nearness. (19:12)
• He gave Elijah clear direction for how to move forward: Practical instruction, to move from paralysis to action. (19:15-18)
• He provided a partner, a friend, a fellow prophet who would walk alongside him, and ultimately fill his position: Camaraderie and courage from like-minded co-laborers. (19:19-21)

What he gives me may be different from what he gives you, but what matters is: He gives what we need. 

Friend, I know how easily discouragement can come. I know how our courage can melt like snow and leave dirty piles of past-faith. I know we can go from spiritual victory one day to the depths of despair the next. And I know the enemy of our souls wants nothing more than to discourage. He’ll make everything crash down around us every time we try to be brave. He’ll whisper, “Just quit. Give up. It’s useless.”

I don’t know the details of your discouragement, but God does, and I know that when we slump down under that broom tree, when we turn to him:

• He gives us physical rest and restoration.
• He gives us His presence, His spiritual comfort and nearness.
• He gives us practical instruction, to help us move from paralysis to action.
• And, oftentimes, He provides us with a comrade, a dear one to encourage us along the journey.

He does all this and more. So the next time you’re slumped down under that tree, lean in and look up and let Him give you just what your heart needs.

{Praying fresh courage for you this week. Thanks for reading.}

(photo via Freely)