Feelings Are Fickle:
Faith to Fear – Part 2
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 19:1-9
Key Verse: 1 Kings 19:3
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there
As we continue studying the life of Elijah we see that even though his emotions are fickle, his God is faithful. Elijah ran for his life when Jezebel, the Queen of the pagan nation, threatened to kill him for embarrassing her by defeating her prophets. Elijah ran into the desert and sat under a broom tree that provided a little shade. It was here, under the tree, that he prayed that he might die. Wow! His faith had turned to fear; then his fear had turned to depression in a very short period of time!
Elijah fell asleep under that tree. God sent an angel to help him, providing food for him to eat. Strengthened by this “heavenly food,” Elijah traveled 40 days and nights until he had reached Mt. Horeb, which Israel called the Mountain of God. On this mountain, God revealed His mighty presence to Elijah, bringing him back to a place of strong faith! Elijah left that mountain and went back into God’s service!
It is encouraging to me how God treated the fickle emotions of one of His children. First note that God did not lecture Elijah on how bad he was for feeling what he was feeling! God is not mad at us when we feel fearful, weak, discouraged or any other emotion. God understand our fallen state and knows original sin has left us with fickle emotions. God’s very nature is love and compassion for His children. Remember the words of Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses…” (More tomorrow.)
Father, I praise you for your patience with my feelings. Thank you for understanding my weaknesses in these areas. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.