Finding God in the WildernessSýnishorn

Focus

Reflect on today’s reading using these questions.

1. What is Elijah feeling? Why is he feeling this way?
2. What does Elijah do in response to his feelings?

Elijah on the run

Imagine for a moment that you are a prophet of God in a country where many people have turned away from following God and now worship an idol. In front of an audience of thousands, you witness God responding to your prayers and revealing himself as the ONE TRUE GOD to everyone. The false prophets are defeated. You have been vindicated as God reveals himself that day. And if that were not enough, you pray to end a three-year drought—and God does it. Right. On. Time. Everything seems to be going your way. You might imagine that nothing could shake your faith and your confidence in God’s protection.

This is the backdrop for 1 Kings 19. Now Elijah is afraid for his life. He has a good reason. The most powerful woman in the country has promised he will die the very next day.

Most of us respond to traumatic experiences with automatic fight/flight or freeze responses. Elijah seems to have done both. First, he runs. And he runs for a long distance. It may have taken him days to get to the wilderness. Then he collapses. He wants to die in seclusion by himself. It appears he may feel deep shame: “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors” (v. 4 NIV).

Connect

1. Why do you think Elijah may have been vulnerable after his victories?
2. What experiences of trauma or transition have you had that led to you feeling something like Elijah does in the wilderness? How did you respond?

Dig Deeper

If you have felt like Elijah, you are not alone. In Psalm 88:1–4 (GNT), the psalmist expresses the same sentiment to God. Consider how God gives us permission to express our faith even in our deepest pain:

LORD God, my savior, I cry out all day,
and at night I come before you.
2 Hear my prayer;
listen to my cry for help!

3 So many troubles have fallen on me
that I am close to death.
4 I am like all others who are about to die;
all my strength is gone.

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