You Can Conquer Discouragement!

It’s often said that life is filled with peaks and valleys. The Prophet Elijah found himself on the highest of spiritual peaks in 1 Kings 18, when he, with God’s backing, took out the entire priesthood of Baal with one miraculous blow. After calling fire down from heaven, Elijah then had the prophets of Baal destroyed, completely crushing the pagan religious system of Ahab and Jezebel.

Immediately afterward, Elijah sprinted 15 to 20 miles across the valley of Jezreel (1 Kings 18:45-46). Here again, with miraculous help from God, he actually outran Ahab’s chariot.

Yet, as exhilarating as this must have been, Elijah had to have been physically exhausted. And after battling the entire priesthood of Baal, he was surely drained mentally and emotionally as well.

When Ahab returned home, he told his wife Jezebel about all that had transpired. Seething with red-hot rage, she sentenced Elijah to be executed within 24 hours (1 Kings 19:1-2).

Notice how this great prophet of God responded: “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. 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” (verses 3-4).

Elijah became so despondent that he wanted to die. And this was right after he performed a number of extraordinary miracles! It’s almost hard to believe that the Elijah of 1 Kings 19 is the same individual described in chapters 17 and 18. As high as the “peak” was in those chapters, in chapter 19, Elijah withdraws into the wilderness where he wallows in weariness and self-pity.

What happened? He had been worn down, yes. But the big problem was that he got his mind off the work and onto Jezebel’s license to kill. As soon as Elijah lost his spiritual focus, everything went downhill—and fast!

What a lesson this is for us! We might win a number of battles, but until we win the war, we must keep fighting every day. We must keep our focus on the soon-coming Kingdom of God.

Jesus said, “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14). The way of a Christian is not the “easy way”—it’s not the popular, broad road that everyone is on. That road, Jesus said, actually leads to destruction.

The road we travel is oftentimes narrow, rutty, bumpy and difficult. Very few people in this life have been willing to travel this road—but it leads to success, to usefulness, to happiness and eternal life.

Notice how merciful and loving God was in prodding Elijah to realign his spiritual focus. In 1 Kings 19:5-8, God sent an angel to supernaturally provide physical sustenance for Elijah. After the meal, Elijah started a 40-day fast, during which God directed him back to Mount Horeb—where Israel’s history began.

Notice verse 9: “And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?” In other words, What is the cause of your trouble, Elijah? What is bothering you? God wanted Elijah to be able to express himself—to explain what he was discouraged about. God listened to Elijah, just like He listens to us.

Elijah was still wrestling with his woe is me attitude (verse 10). Jezebel had undoubtedly killed off all of the remaining prophets of God, which must have added to Elijah’s worries.

But remember, God had just used Elijah to wipe out Jezebel’s pagan religion in one fell swoop as well! This shows that even after obtaining our greatest victories, it is still so easy to focus on the negative. Elijah did that—and he practically forgot about all of the good things God had done to eradicate idolatry from Israel. He got his mind onto himself. He momentarily lapsed into a state of faithlessness. He had forgotten about the one who had performed all of these mighty miracles.

And so God proceeded to help Elijah get his mind back on God’s power and might (verse 11). God reveals Himself in a variety of ways. He’ll use His awesome power when necessary, but He generally comes with a “still small voice” (verse 12).

Even when there are no obvious, visible miracles, God is still God! That’s what God wanted Elijah to realize. You’ve got to get your relationship with God back the way it should be, God told him. You’ve got to get your mind off the obstacle or trial and back on Almighty God!

When you face discouragement, don’t let your mind dwell on the Goliath or Jezebel obstacle in front of you. Get your mind on God and His work.

When Elijah slipped into the worst discouragement of his life, God strengthened him with food, drink and rest. He then let Elijah express himself—explaining why he was discouraged. And even though his thinking was off, God listened—God empathized with Elijah.

Of course, Elijah also did his part, spiritually speaking. He started a fast. Even as he vented, he had to have known that his attitude was negative and selfish. And so he turned to God for help.

And then after all this interaction with God, what did God instruct him to do? Get back to work. From here, Elijah went on to ordain Elisha, whom God would use to finish the work Elijah began (verses 15-17).

The key to overcoming discouragement and despondency is to get our minds off ourselves and onto the power and might of God. Get the mind off self. Turn to God in humility, with prayer and fasting. Then get back to work. Concentrate on serving God and doing God’s work.

Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again ….” It’s easy to think that only the unjust or unrighteous trip up and become despondent and negative. Here God says the just man falls seven times!

But he also gets up—he doesn’t give in to Satan. He keeps battling! He never gives up!

Learning to cope with and overcome negativity and discouragement is something God wants us to master. Life is full of difficulty and trouble. That’s because this life is a training ground! God is preparing us for eternal life in His ever-expanding royal Family!

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time,” Paul wrote, “are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).