The Way Up When Life Gets You Down (1)

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Originally uploaded by s~revenge

Elijah was...just like us.
James 5:17

There are times in life when we all feel down. But God's Word shows us the way to get back up. Look at Elijah, who 'was just like us.' How come he got so far down

1) It happened on the heels of a great victory. He didn't start out in the doldrums, and he didn't fall into sin. No, he'd just called down fire from heaven and slain 450 false prophets (See 1 Kings 18:22-39). But that's hard work! So he went from exhilaration to exhaustion. Weary, defences down and vulnerability up, he fell into a natural depression because fatigue strips us of our courage.

2) Fear caused him to lose perspective. The man of God who'd just faced down an evil multitude, ended up running from one woman, Jezebel (See 1 Kings 19). Fear made him forget God's power; it skewed his perspective and left him feeling suicidal. Exhaustion coupled with fear is a dangerous combination. It invites hopeless, wrong thinking, and creates the illusion that your options are gone.

3) He became isolated. Elijah left his servant at Beersheba and journeyed into the wilderness alone (1 Kings 19:3-4). When you most need support, anxiety, a sense of inadequacy and fear of failure, will push you into isolation. At that point you're in the worst possible company; - your own. Elijah thought, 'I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me' (vs.10, 14 NIV). Translated: 'It's bad and I can't see it getting better!' When you're down, it isn't the time to isolate. That's when you need to reach for God and the people who love you, who can help you back up.

Copied from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.