[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Dealing with feelings of discouragement (1)

Read: 1 Kings 18 and 19.

Meditation verse:

“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4)

Elijah had just experienced victory over the prophets of Baal at mount Carmel. He asked them to call on their gods to consume the sacrifice. They did so from morning till night, but nothing happened. Then he prepared his altar, poured water on the sacrifice, and called on God. Fire came down and consumed the entire offering. Then He seized all the prophets of Baal and executed them. After King Ahab told Jezebel what happened, she threatened to kill Elijah and he ran into a cave, in fear and discouragement. When God asked him what he was doing in a cave, he said “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts, the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenants, burnt down the altars and killed all the prophets, and I am the only one left and they seek my life”.

Discouragement is a loss of confidence or enthusiasm, it is a feeling of hopelessness, despondency, or despair. It can be a response to unmet or delayed expectations, fatigue, fear, loneliness, failure, lack, fruitless efforts, never ending trials and challenges of life, or our perception of an event whether real or false. It could also arise from something someone did to us or failed to do. Whatever the reason behind it, discouragement is not God’s will for you. Satan is the instigator of discouragement and doubt. He loves to keep you focused on all the negative things around you. Usually it begins with a thought, then the thought becomes a belief and if you dwell on it long enough, it becomes a stronghold of discouragement.

Elijah feeling of discouragement was because of fear, loneliness, fatigue, and a wrong assumption. He told God that he was the only prophet left. God corrected him, that there were 7,000 others left in Israel, who had not bowed to Baal.

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

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