On Top of the Mountain

When is the last time you’ve felt on top of the mountain? Everything was going good, you felt like your life had purpose.  You had a vision and a goal to work towards.  You felt God called you to do something, you did it, and you found peace in doing His will.

Then it was over.

You had done what He asked. Then it was over.  You were back to your normal self.  You don’t hear God speaking anymore.  Your time of doing something for Him seems over.  You feel all alone. You have no purpose, no vision, no big direction from God.

You are not alone.

 Even one of the most well-known, most important prophets felt the same way.

Think with me about 1 Kings 19.  Three years before, Elijah had told the King there would be no rain, until the people turned away from idols.  As the drought began, The Lord told Elijah to go stay by the Brook Cherith.  At the brook, Elijah found water, and God sent ravens to feed him.  When the brook dried up, The Lord sent Elijah to a widow in Zaraphath.  The widow and her son and Elijah were provided for; the meal never ran out, and the well never ran dry.  As if all that wasn’t enough proof of God being with Elijah, the woman’s son dies and Elijah raises him again.  It is soon after this, that God tells Elijah to go show himself to the king.  He goes, and this is a part of the story we all know; the prophets of bael and Elijah make two altars.  That day, God shows all in Israel that He Is the One True God by sending fire upon the altar.

Now we get to 1 Kings 19.  All the power, all the past provision, all the past miracles, the past calling, vision and goals were over. The queen threatened to take Elijahs life.   Then we read;

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, 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.” (1 Kings 19:3-4 NIV)

Elijah felt It was over.

Elijah had done what God had of him asked. Then it was over.  He was back to his normal self.  He didn’t hear The Lord speaking anymore.  His time of doing something for God seemed over.  He felt all alone. He had no purpose, no vision, no big direction.

He was discouraged. He had hit rock bottom.  Looking on, we find ourself thinking; why? Elijah was so important. Elijah was called of God.  Elijah had just been showed so many miracles.  How could he doubt? Why didn’t he just know that God was still right with him?

Elijah was human, just like us.

He experienced discouragement after being on the mountain top.

Just like we do.

The story goes on to tell that an angel comes and feeds Elijah; he then goes in the strength of that food for 40 days.  He travels to Horeb (the mountain of God) and stays in a cave.  God comes to Elijah asking him why he is there.  Elijah gives his sob story;

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.” The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” (1 Kings 19:10-11 NIV)

You know the story.  Elijah goes to the mouth of the cave; there is a earthquake, a fire, a wind. The Lord was not any of that.  Then a still small voice, and The Lord was in that.  The Lord showed himself to Elijah that day.  The Lord spoke to him again.  He was not alone. He had purpose, vision, and a continued calling.

The same is with us, when we go to the ‘Mountain of God’, when we sit quietly and listen. We can be encouraged?  The Lord can meet us, with His still small voice.  The Lord can show us we are not alone. The Lord can speak to us again and fill us with purpose, vision and a continued calling.

I’ve been there.  I’ve been in that place.

When have you been in that place, when did you find yourself discouraged? Did you run to the ‘Mountain of God’, did you hear The Lord speak again? Share your story by writing a comment.