Few emotions so quickly expose the frailty of men and women as the emotion of despair. When we are battling with our own hearts—regardless of the reason for the struggle—we can find ourselves in a life-and death war. Despair, that darkest of human emotions, can woo us, entice us, and even destroy us. Sometimes we meet it…

• at our job, when we don’t get what we think we have earned;
• in our family, when our expectations remain unfulfilled;
• in our church, when we are inevitably disappointed with frail, flawed people.

It’s one of the toughest battles a person ever faces, and Elijah would fight this battle in a cave. Remember, Elijah was a man like us—and nowhere is this more obvious than now, as he is caught in the clutches of despair. Here, he becomes a man we can relate to because Elijah’s greatest battle was fought, not on Mount Carmel, but in a cave at Horeb—not so unlike situations we have all been in. This battle now was not against Baal but against himself.

 

THE ROOTS OF DESPAIR

Ahab told Queen Jezebel what happened on the high place of Carmel: The prophets of Baal (which she had brought to Israel) were dead, and Baal had been overthrown. Her answer? Jezebel sent a message to Elijah, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” In other words, “You will receive the same treatment you gave my prophets—execution.”

What was Elijah’s response to Jezebel’s threat? He fled. Amazingly, the same Elijah who only days before had defeated the prophets of Baal now ran from this woman. The one who had said, “If the Lord is God, follow Him,” was now fleeing in despair. What contributed to his despair?

Success. There’s often a letdown following moments of great success. In the afterglow of victory, it can be difficult to face the challenges of normal life.

Fatigue. Fatigue often follows intense periods of stress, especially when accompanied by physical exhaustion. This is the “post-Carmel” Elijah—spent, fatigued, and, as a result, vulnerable.

Disappointment. It’s likely that Elijah was disappointed with the people. On Carmel, they shouted, “The Lord, He is God!” Now, they would probably allow him to be killed. At times, despair happens when people don’t behave as we think they should.

Loneliness. This is the burden of leadership. In his book Elijah: A Man Of Like Nature, Theodore Epp wrote:

A leader is a lonely man…. Driven on by a burning desire to achieve goals that to others seem visionary or impractical, they are looked upon with suspicion by the run-of-the-mill crowd. Men who lead are certain targets for the biting barbs of criticism (p.119).

These are the roots of Elijah’s despair. Weary, just off the mountaintop, disappointed, and alone. Elijah had waited 31⁄2 years for one glorious day of triumph—and now he was burned out and alone. How did this “man like us” respond to the despair that was creeping into his heart?

 

THE RESPONSES OF DESPAIR

Look at the downward steps he followed—steps that would only deepen his sense of despair. His path was understandable, but totally wrong.

Desire For Escape (v.3a). “And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah.” Elijah had fled 100 miles to the southern desert. But the grass wasn’t any greener there.

Every day, countless people try to escape—with alcohol, drugs, pleasure. Yet none of us escapes our problems by running from them. We are our biggest problem.

Desire For Solitude (v.3b). “[Elijah] left his servant there.” Loneliness breeds loneliness. Wanting greater solitude, Elijah left his servant, and went on alone.

Desire For Death (v.4a). “And he prayed that he might die, and said, ‘It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life.’ ” Sometimes, under stress, death looks like the only way out. Notice that this is Elijah’s fifth recorded prayer. He prayed, and…

• rain stopped,
• a son returned to life,
• fire fell from heaven, and
• rain returned after 31⁄2 years of drought.

All of the first four prayers were answered, but not the fifth. This last one was self-centered. Elijah had lost sight of the power of God. This caused his heart to view death as better than a life of trusting God.

Desert Of Self-Pity (v.4b). “For I am no better than my fathers!” Do you hear him, this man like us? Few things are more tragic than someone filled with self-pity. Elijah felt:

• Everyone else is at fault.
• I am the victim.
• Life is unfair to me.
• I never get ahead.
• I never get a break.

It’s easier for us to identify with Elijah here in the wilderness than on Mount Carmel. Here under a broom tree (v.4) he was more “normal.” But God wouldn’t leave him there.

 

THE REMEDY FOR DESPAIR

Notice how God dealt with Elijah. He used a blend of tough confrontation and tender compassion.

Comfort And Care (vv.5-8). “So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God” (v.8).

God provided Elijah with food and rest to care for his fatigue. Elijah asked for death, but instead God brought him a meal to keep him alive. Sometimes, what we need more than anything else when we’re in despair is rest and refreshment. Without that, we don’t have the strength needed to recover. So, in renewed strength, Elijah traveled for 40 more days, stopping at a cave at Horeb.

Confrontation With God (vv.9-14).(v.4b). This occurred in two stages:

A Powerful Question (vv.9-10). “The word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ ” (v.9).

This is a key question. God had sent Elijah to Samaria, Cherith, Zarephath, and Carmel. But He hadn’t sent him to Horeb. “Why are you here?” A superficial answer could have been, “I fear Jezebel.” But the real answer is seen in Elijah’s words of verse 10: “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

In other words, “I’m here because I’m unappreciated and full of self-pity.” This is a far cry from his bold proclamation on Carmel.

A Surprising Encounter (vv.11-12). “Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”

God sent messengers from nature—fire, wind, and an earthquake—to remind Elijah that God is God, and that Elijah is not to be ruled by despair. The still small voice of God spoke, and that’s when Elijah hid his face. He expected the power of God, but he was met by the Person of God. In this place of quiet communion, Elijah was…

Desert Of Self-Pity (v.4b). “For I am no better than my fathers!” Do you hear him, this man like us? Few things are more tragic than someone filled with self-pity. Elijah felt:

• reminded of God’s power,
• reminded of God’s character, and
• reminded of God’s love, mercy, and peace.

Call To Help (vv.15-17). In verses 15-17, God told Elijah to get involved in the needs of others. He was told to anoint two kings and to train his own replacement—Elisha.

One key to getting perspective on our despair is to get involved in other people’s lives and become concerned for them. An 18th-century writer, John Simpson, put it this way:

The only hope for persons in such circumstances is to come out from their lonely haunts, and to be actively employed in some useful and benevolent occupations…. to set about doing something which will require muscular exertion, and which will benefit others. Hence God directed Elijah to quit his present lonely abode, which only increased the sadness and irritation of his spirit; and so He gave him a commission to execute (cited by W. J. Petersen in Meet Me On The Mountain, p.120).

The challenge is to get our eyes off ourselves, for only then can we clearly see the needs of others. It’s been said, “I cried because I had no shoes; then I met a man who had no feet.”

Clarity Of Truth (v.18). “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

Elijah needed a dose of reality to help blast him out of his despair. Our point of view is rarely accurate when seen through despairing eyes. Elijah needed to wake up and see things as they were—not as he had painted them to be. He was not the only faithful servant of God after all—he was just the only one hiding at Horeb.

Just like Elijah, we love the big wins and the stirring victories. But what about the silent battles of the soul? Elijah thought he was strong, but he had to learn how weak he was and how desperately he needed God. We need to learn that too.

 

Applying It

God graciously rebuilt Elijah’s life out of the ashes of despair and would use him once more. What lessons are here for us?

• Being dedicated to Christ doesn’t immunize us from discouragement or despair.
• Fatigue can make us more susceptible to despair.
• We need to invest our energies in others, instead of being absorbed in our pain.
• Communion with God is the only way to maintain the spiritual strength necessary for the battles of life.
• We need to learn to rest in God’s gracious care.