"Elijah was afraid and ran for his life... He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."... He ate and drank and then lay down again...The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you."... So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night." (1Kings: 19:3-9)
Are you familiar with any of the things mentioned above?
If you've passed through some down times, I guess you must have prayed just as Elijah did! You must have been through times, I myself had, in which you pray "I have had enough, LORD, Take my life.."
The beautiful thing about that story in the bible is that it discribes very clearly Elijah's state. You can see all the signs of depression we now have in the 21st century! Wanting to sleep all the time (verses 5, 6 and 9).
Something else I noted: even if you have some strengthes from above as he did. It will help you to carry on for some time. But again, as long as the real reason behind your sorrow is not resolved, you still will fade after a while. Just as it happened with Elijah.
God you knew just how to fix it! :) The rest of the story goes on....
"And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Why did you ask him God? You already knew, didn't you?!
I guess what psychology proved nowadays is what he wanted to show hundreds of years ago! talking your feelings out loud helps! It helps you put your hands on what is really annoying you when you speak out what you feel. It also makes a connection between your emotions and your reasonable brain. That is why God didn't ask Elijah "what's the matter with you" only once, but twice!
This is the key solution, what's the matter with YOU? What is it that makes you lying down here? Why are you here in the cave, leaving all the life out there?
Answer this question, and you'll put your hands on the reason...
You might have powerful winds that through away everything you're trying to hind behind, and this could piss you off!!
You might experience earthquakes that shakes every part of your life and soul...
You might go through fire, burning and hurting you... and you feel "God is not there".
But God is preparing you, and soon you'll hear the gentile wisper, and get out of your cave :)
Lord,
Help me identify my problem,,,,
Talk to me, to talk to myself...
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