Depression-Elijah
Depression - Elijah
Elijah was a prophet during an unstable time in Israel’s history. Many had turned away from God to worship Baal, a false god. God sent Elijah to help the Israelites see the error of their ways and return to God, and his efforts resulted in the death of many prophets of Baal. This caused a rift between Elijah and people like Jezebel, who all but guaranteed she would kill him.
Elijah immediately fled and hid away in the wilderness, exhausted and completely alone. In his solitude, Elijah was consumed by feelings of hopelessness. He became convinced that his life had no value and begged God to end his life right then and there.
Clinical diagnoses for conditions like depression didn’t exist in Biblical times, but Elijah’s thought patterns look very similar to what many with depression struggle with today. Feelings of helplessness and low self-worth can trick us into believing things will never get better. But as we read on, we see that God meets Elijah where he’s at and provides for his most basic needs. An angel of the Lord brings Elijah food and water, and God provides space for Elijah to rest and regain his strength. It isn’t long before Elijah turns a corner and continues his journey.
When you’re in the midst of depression, you may start to believe the lie that your life doesn’t matter, there is no hope for your situation, and God doesn’t care about you. Remember how God saw Elijah and gave him what he needed to heal, and know that he can do the same for you.
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
Elijah was a prophet during an unstable time in Israel’s history. Many had turned away from God to worship Baal, a false god. God sent Elijah to help the Israelites see the error of their ways and return to God, and his efforts resulted in the death of many prophets of Baal. This caused a rift between Elijah and people like Jezebel, who all but guaranteed she would kill him.
Elijah immediately fled and hid away in the wilderness, exhausted and completely alone. In his solitude, Elijah was consumed by feelings of hopelessness. He became convinced that his life had no value and begged God to end his life right then and there.
Clinical diagnoses for conditions like depression didn’t exist in Biblical times, but Elijah’s thought patterns look very similar to what many with depression struggle with today. Feelings of helplessness and low self-worth can trick us into believing things will never get better. But as we read on, we see that God meets Elijah where he’s at and provides for his most basic needs. An angel of the Lord brings Elijah food and water, and God provides space for Elijah to rest and regain his strength. It isn’t long before Elijah turns a corner and continues his journey.
When you’re in the midst of depression, you may start to believe the lie that your life doesn’t matter, there is no hope for your situation, and God doesn’t care about you. Remember how God saw Elijah and gave him what he needed to heal, and know that he can do the same for you.
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.