The Weariness of Weariness

At one time or another, we all have days when giving up sounds so appealing; crawling into bed and watching soap operas day after day while the rest of the world goes on without us.  Our pastor spoke on this topic last weekend, relating how it is hard to battle something day in and day out without getting weary.  We get discouraged, and we get depressed.  We want to crawl in a cave and stay there.

1 Kings 19 tells the story of Elijah’s weariness.  He had just had a showdown with the prophets of Baal and killed them all.  He’d run all the way to Jezreel, and he was exhausted.  He was the last survivor of God’s prophets, all alone, and now he was running for his life from Jezebel.  And for what?  I can just hear his mind working, egged on by fatigue and the lies of the Great Deceiver…

“I slave away all day, day in and day out, and for what?  Nobody appreciates me.  They don’t listen to me, they wreck the altars, they want to kill me, everything I do is futile… I’m tired, hungry, and bummed out, and I’m done!  I’m just going to lay here and die!”

The little broom tree in the desert was the site of this pity party.  The angel brought him food and water for sustenance, and let him rest there. But God did not let him get into bed and pull the covers up over his head for long.

Elijah’s next stop: the cave – a good place to hole up and lick your wounds.  But God said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah spilled his guts, not once, but twice.  He had some fellowship with his Lord, and then God sent him back out to keep working.  Elijah *wasn’t* alone, and his work was *not* all in vain.  All he needed was a little rest, and some dialogue with God.  God had a plan, even when Elijah didn’t see it.

What a good example to follow when life seems like it’s taking its toll.  Take care of yourself.  Rest, but don’t stay down.  Don’t listen to the lies of Satan - have a chat with your Maker instead.  Tell Him what’s on your mind.  Then get back up and get after it.  It’s not all in vain, even if some days it sure seems like it.  God’s got a plan.