Ever Just Wanted to Die?

“The enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness…therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.” Psalm 143: 3, 4 KJV

Does this sound familiar? What about this?

“But (Elijah), himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; I’m ready to join my ancestors in the grave.” 1 Kings 19:4 KJV

If you've ever found yourself at rock bottom...and you wanted to die...even went so far as to plan to die...YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

One of the all time Bible “greats", the prophet Elijah, found himself digging through the bottom of a total physical, emotional and spiritual black hole..to the point where he asked God to just let him die. He had been hit by his own “triple threat”...Baal, Ahab and Jezebel...and he just didn't want to live anymore.

It happens to the best of us. And if it hasn't yet...keep living...keep fighting for the Lord...chances are...it will. There's no shame in it. You just have to recognize the enemy when you see him..even thru the lens of desperation and fear.

Even after a great victory...you may get hit by a one-two punch by the enemy that steals your worship. And silences your praise.  And you may just want to throw in the towel and ask God to let you crawl off and die.

Has this ever happened to you? Has something or someone or some storm or some sorrow shoved you so close to the edge that it made you question God..so much so that life didn’t seem like it was even worth  living anymore?

Nope...you aren’t alone. All through the Bible, some of God’s most trusted and faithful friends found themselves in this same pit.

For Joseph: brothers sold him into slavery, taken to Egypt, bought by Potiphar whose wife falsely accused him of attempted rape and had him locked up for years.

For Moses: lead a bunch ingrates toward the Promised Land for 40 long years, lost his temper and he was denied access to Canaan.

For King David: a man after God’s own heart who suffered terrible bouts of depression as written about in some of the Psalms where he throws some of the Bible's greatest pity parties.

No. Elijah wasn't alone. And neither are you.

Sure...he felt isolated. In I Kings 19: 10, Elijah had a very real convo with God. “I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away.”

Elijah poured out his heart to God. And I'm paraphrasing here but he basically said... “God, I stood up for You. I was Your leader. I was there for You. I was Your go-to guy. When nobody else loved You…when everybody else rejected You, I was there! What did I get for all my trouble? This wicked woman says, ‘off with my head,’ and I can’t take it. I’m alone. The whole world is against me and I can’t see or hear You, so I want to end it now. Get me out of here – I can’t handle anymore!”

And yet God didn't pop him in the mouth..and ask Elijah just who he thought he was talking to. Nope. God loved on him..in that small still voice! Then God put Elijah to work on some of his greatest assignments.

Read 1 Kings 19...it's a good read. All facts..no fiction. And if you are feeling down in the devil dumps...do what God had Elijah do. It worked for him...I'm sure it will work for you.

1. Reach out to God. Pour out your heart to him. Keep it
     100.

2. Reach out to other Godly people. God has custom
     selected your circle...trust His judgment...lean on
     them.

3. Reach out to others in service. When God sends
     you...GO! Make yourself available.  Be willing. It may
     well be that God has a great work for you that will
     blow your mind.

There is no new problem under the sun. Somewhere at some time...someone has been there and done that. And chances are there is a biblical model to guide us...we just have to search it out!