Exhaustion Masquerades as Empty
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Hope in Empty Places Week 4: Exhaustion Masquerades as Empty
1 Kings 18
October 8th, 2023
“When we place our dependence in God, we are unencumbered, and we have no worry. In fact, we may even be reckless, insofar as our part in the production is concerned. This confidence, this sureness of action, is both contagious and an aid to the perfect action. The rest is in the hands of God – and this is the same God, gentlemen, who has won all His battles up to now.” - Lombardi
Coaching Objective
Put in the spiritual work anticipating tired seasons – they come for everyone.
Don’t quit when you are exhausted, your tiredness is real but your situation isn’t empty.
“Ahab, son of Omri, did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.” (1 Kings 16:30,33)
“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 and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, so these people will now that you, O Lord are God and that you are turning their hearts back again.” (1 Kings 18:36-37)
1 Kings 19:3 “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life, when he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 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.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.”
Lesson #1 Be on high alert when you are tired. Everyone gets tired in a fight – including prophets.
1Kings 19:5b 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.
Lesson #2 God tends to us when we are tired. Tired isn’t an empty place.
Lesson #3 There is no shame in being tired but there is no restoration without trust & movement.
1 Kings 19:9b-18 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.”
Lesson #4 Fatigue exaggerates and exacerbates everything.
1 Kings 19:11-14 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.”
Lesson #5 Restoration is a process. Don’t be defensive in the process, you can trust His presence.
1 Kings 19:15-18 15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.
A Renewal of Purpose
There is a lot of life on the other side of forgotten.
There is a lot of life on the other side of pain.
There is a lot of life on the other side of exhausted.
An Assurance of Presence.
Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Here is a pattern we can pull from this narrative.
Life is a series of fights.
Fight the right fight.
Fighting is exhausting but no place is empty.
Trust God’s refresh and restoration process.
John 16:33 (Amplified Version) 33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]