Hard times are only as difficult as we make them.
There were 450 of the enemies of God standing in front of the great prophet Elijah. The odds were 450 to 1 that Elijah would not survive the day. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel wanted him dead. It seemed as if all of Israel had turned against God and His covenant. It was a bleak situation but Elijah was not worried. We read in I Kings 18 how Elijah called all the people together and challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to a duel. All day the pagan prophets of Baal screamed for their god’s. They danced, prayed, cut themselves and implored the false deity Baal to come and miraculously burn the sacrifice. Elijah mocked them and told them to dance more, sing louder, cut deeper and still no fire from heaven on behalf of Baal. All morning and afternoon this went on.
At the end of the day towards the time of the evening sacrifice Elijah had water poured onto the sacrificial alter of wood and the cut-up bull. Three times he had the water poured on. So much water in fact that it over flowed. Then Elijah briefly prayed and immediately fire came down from heaven and burned the offering up so completely that the wood, bull and water were gone. God is in control of every situation. Read this wonderful account in I King 18:20-45.
Ah, but what a difference a day can make. Elijah was one of the most powerful and faithful of all the prophets of God. In I Kings 17:17-24 God uses him to raise the widow’s son from the dead. In I kings 18 he confronts Ahab and Jezebel and calls fire down from heaven and then has the 450 prophets of Baal executed. Elijah was used powerfully by God.
We now move to I Kings 19. Elijah became depressed from the everyday trials of life. He had to flee from Ahab and Jezebel. It seems as if the miracles and success he had were forgotten. He felt alone. Physically he was alone. The weight of all Israel seemed to ride on his shoulders and it got to him. Depression set in. God speaks to him in I Kings 19:15-18. He was not alone. Angels ministered to him (I Kings 19:4-8). He felt as if he wanted to die (I Kings 19:4b). He was tired of the struggle. He was tired of the rebellious nature of the people. He was human.
What Elijah could not see was the ENTIRE picture of the plan God was working out for Israel. Elijah thought he had failed and only he was left who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Wow, was Elijah mistaken. God said to him, “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (I Kings 19:18). 7,000 people who Elijah could not see yet they were with him and God.
Elijah was not alone; he simply could not see all the moving parts of God’s plan until God revealed it to him. Do we feel this way? Do we lose our faith at times? Of course, we do, but we must remember this: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1). Like Elijah, we do not see all the moving parts of God’s plan.
Elijah after all his success in service to God needed a reminder that God was working out His plan. The tree of Israel had been pruned down to only 7,000 people out of several million who had not bowed down to Baal. After a pruning the tree will grow back with flowers and branches and fruit, yet we do not see it yet. It is through our faith in Jesus Christ that we know all things will work together for good for those who love God (Rom. 8:28).
Feeling down? Depressed? Hard times? Worried? Trials? Do things look bleak? Can we not see the path at times because the over grown brush of life gets in our way? Just remember this, and let us be reminded like the great prophet Elijah was, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1).
Hard times are only as difficult as we make them.
Cheer up. Remain faithful, for God is on the job and all things will work together for good for those who love God!
Mike Wallace CLU ChFC FSS
Known as “Montana Mike” he attends the Colorado Springs COG7 via internet every week.
All Scriptures NKJV.
