You’re Not the Only One!

Have you ever thought about walking away at some point? Job, marriage, kids, family, friends? Stress, disappointment, loneliness, weariness, and so many other emotions can make you want to give up – walk away – keep driving – escape. Anybody?

Or maybe you are just super frustrated because you aren't getting the response you expected, or people are disappointing you. Maybe you feel like you're the only one that really cares. I know. I've been there too.

Elijah had that kind of moment. He got really down too. 

1Kings 18 has Elijah in a battle with the Israelites who were worshiping other gods. He challenged them to call on their gods to light a fire. He wanted to prove to them that his God was all powerful, while their gods had no power. In vs 36 he prays "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant . . . Answer me O Lord, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.". Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, wood, and the stones . . . When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The Lord he is God!  . . . Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal".  

God showed up and He showed the people of Israel that He was God.  Now - King Ahab told his wife Jezebel everything that Elijah had done, and she sent word to Elijah - threatening him that she will destroy his life like Elijah had just done to her gods.  

Now - Elijah had just had the most amazing experience with God showing up and lighting the fire. You would think his faith would be HUGE and impenetrable. But like so many of us, we can have this amazing experience with God, and it feels like the devil becomes that much more determined to break our spirit. He broke Elijah's spirit.  Elijah runs. He just flees - completely broken in fear and frustration. 

When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. 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.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.7 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.” 8 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. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn 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.” 

So, we have Elijah on the run. He tells God to please just let me die. I've had enough. I'm done. I don't want this anymore Lord.  Sound familiar???  It sounds way too familiar to me.

Then Elijah falls asleep, and God ministers to him. He provides food and gives Elijah time to rest. After resting, Elijah continues running until he reaches Mount Horeb.  Elijah knows where he is going. It isn't accidental that he finds himself at this mountain of God. He finds a cave and spends the night. and God shows up again and asks him “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

And Elijah’s responds with the most pitiful answer.  "I've been zealous but no one else has; I'm the only one left and they're trying to kill me too."  

 Ever feel like you are the only one? 🙋‍♀️Surely, I’m not the only one that feels this poor pitiful me emotion (at times)!!!!  Go ahead and raise your hand too!!  Maybe it looks a little like this: “God, I’m doing my best to serve you, but things keep going wrong. I am trying so hard but it doesn't seem to be doing any good. I want to quit.”

Or "I'm the only one who cares.”

Or “I'm the only one who ever does anything." 

Or, (my personal one) “God, I prepared this lesson, and no one is showing up."

"God - I’m just tired!!”

11 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. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.13 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?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn 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.” 

God does some pretty amazing things here to get Elijah's attention.  We have this wind that shatters rocks, but God isn't in that wind. Then there is this earthquake, and God was not in the earthquake. and then a fire, but God was not in the fire.  and after all that, there is a whisper, and God was in the whisper. Again God asks "What are you doing here Elijah?"  And Elijah again responds, “I’m the only one left”.  

Sometimes we need to get still so that we can hear the whisper, because the noise outside can be deafening. The noise outside is not God. The doubts and the lies we hear are not God. The devil would have us discouraged and ready to quit. Satan wants you doubting and running, even hiding. Who are you hearing? Which is louder? 

God still ministers to us. He knows at times we need to break away, be ministered to, and rest. It is when we get still and rest that we can find God speaking in a whisper. If we aren’t careful, we’ll miss it. We become so focused on the noise outside that we miss the small voice saying "come to me and find rest". 

You see, in God’s whispers, Elijah found peace, safety, and affirmation. In God’s Whisper, Elijah found his strength to move forward in faith. He found his fears calmed. 

 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” 

 Then God reassured Elijah and spoke to his sense of isolation and loneliness: I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal.

Elijah wasn’t the only one. 

 Sister – you are not the only one. You are not alone. Sometimes our lives feel very loud, with distractions demanding our attention, and what we really need is to hear God’s whispers in our lives. Sometimes we need to go to the mountain to be alone with God so we can hear His Whisper. We need to go to where we can become encouraged and recharged so we can continue our service for God.

 Don’t give up. You are not the only one. God has others to help you. God gave us sisters. Hear the whisper and shut down the noise and above all else, do not give up.