THE 21st OF FEBRUARY
THE FRUSTRATION THAT COMES FROM DISCOURAGEMENT
And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” – 1 Kings 19:9-10
It is interesting that Elijah thought he had to inform God about what the children of Israel had done and about all he was going through. Let us remember that it was precisely for these deeds that God sent him to Ahab with the judgment through the drought. It seems that Elijah had also forgotten what Obadiah told him, how he had saved a hundred prophets from death. Elijah should have known that he was not the only prophet alive. Was Elijah a liar? Certainly not, but it is well known that when we are disappointed and have serious problems, we do not remember the good things, because the bad ones become giants for us and we see the situation distorted, through the “eyes of pain.”
God spoke to Elijah while he was still in the “cave of despair.” Did the Lord not know the answer? The question was rhetorical and was meant to make Elijah hear himself speaking out his frustration, to realize that it was not the truth, and it was time to change his attitude. How many times has it happened to us that when we were telling someone else about our problems, we realized that they were not so bad after all and began to feel ridiculous. Because of that, sometimes we are tempted to exaggerate, to make our problems seem bigger. All these are the product of our fallen, human nature and is why Jesus tells us to “deny ourselves and take up our cross daily…” (Luke 9:23b) so we can truly follow Him.
SUGGESTED PRAYER
Thank You Lord for the love, grace, mercy and kindness You pour over me everyday. You know me better than I know myself, there is nothing hidden from You, and You understand my reactions better than I do. Thank You for Your forgiveness, grace and also for helping me change for the better, when I seek You. Please help me not to fall into despair when things go wrong and remind me to lift the eyes of my heart towards You. Dear Lord, You are my only hope! True help comes only from You and You alone. Glory and honor to Your Holy Name. Amen.
Source: thetruthstandsforever
