Eat, Sleep, God – Repeat

1 Kings 19:4-8

4 But he 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; for I am not better than my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

HAVE YOU THANKED GOD TODAY?

Many times, we feel less than confident, we feel broken down, defeated, and like nothing is going right for us. Life itself sometimes feels so heavy on our shoulders that we want to just give up, and leave it all behind. Everyone has days where they feel as though the universe is just set against them no matter how hard they work, try, or pray. If you have not felt anything of this nature at one point in your life, you are not being truthful with yourself.

In 1 Kings 19: Verses 4 through 8, the prophet Elijah feels the pressures of threats on his life, and feels as though he has been forsaken by those closest to him. In his despair, he pleads for God to end and take his life; so that he will not bear anymore depression, worry, and anxiety of the hostility and betrayal that follows and surrounds him. God answered him with a simple, yet powerful gesture and loving command to sleep and eat, to rest and plenish his body, so that he may awaken with a new strength and perspective of his life.

Though it may seem trivial, it is truly one of those most inspiring, humble, and empathetic gesture and answer that God could give Elijah and each one of us at our rope’s end. When all seems hopeless, when you have just had enough of absolutely everything and everyone – remember this answer that God gave Elijah, as he was pleading for God to end his problems by ending his life. God understands us, He knows how precious life is, and He understands the entire spectrum of feelings that we experience about ourselves and our lives. He knows that as life itself is temporary, so are your problems, your doubts, your fears, your insecurities. He knows how powerful the mind is, and the hold it can have over your feelings and the way you view experiences, people, and even yourself.

Human emotion is no stranger to God, the Creator of the Universe. God is all knowing, He is beyond us, in spirit and in wisdom, and this is why He understands us. Our mind and intellect were not acquired – they were created in the image of His own intellect, with good intent; and with the ability to process, analyze, communicate, observe, an even create things ourselves. With the different abilities God has created within us, He knows we are not all a like – we each have a different purpose to fulfill for Him. But sometimes, the purpose in disguised, hidden, or even takes a tragedy to come to light. It is in these times of self-doubt, fear, and despair that He knows we need to refocus, rest, nourish our bodies, and in turn rest our minds.   

We can all relate to Elijah at one point in our lives. The weight of our problems, the chaotic world, and the endless negativity that surrounds us can seem as though we are slowly drowning in our own thoughts. But trust in God’s answer to Elijah – make and find time to rest, eat, and find peace in knowing that it is okay to feel lost, it is perfectly normal to have doubts, to overthink, and to hesitate. But at the end of the day, take a moment of silence and breathe and remember – Tomorrow is a new day!

The Word of God,

For the people of God.

Thanks be to God.