1 Kings 19:10 – He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
In this scene of Elijah’s life, we see God’s version of a surprise party. For starters, Elijah thinks he is utterly alone.
He’s in a cave, having a combination of pity party and pride telling God, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:10)
In effect, Elijah is saying that he’s the only true Christian left on the earth, and that his life was very hard because he alone was standing up for the Lord.
If we’re honest, we’ve all felt this way at some point. Whether at school, work, or even our church, it can seem like everyone else has fallen away and we are the last true believer around. If Elijah has some bouts with self-righteousness and self-pity, then we all will.
One pastor friend of mine calls this the “Elijah Complex”. Some people have an inferiority complex, others have a superiority complex, and still others have an Elijah Complex thinking that they alone are carrying the true faith in the world.
The good news is, God meets Elijah in this cave and, because Elijah is so in tune with God through prayer, he’s able to discern God’s presence sent to encourage him. If you’re real, raw, and honest with God, He will meet you just like He did Elijah, as well learn more about through the rest of this week’s devos.
How has God sent a person, thought, verse, or something else to encourage you when you feel discouraged?
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