What Do You Do When Discouragement Makes You Sick?
The Bible says that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” It’s true, if unchecked discouragement can literally make you physically and emotionally ill. There are many things that we get discouraged about. There is our appearance, finances, status, job, achievements, pain, sickness, disabilities, family situations, suffering, grief, just to name a few. What can you do? Is there hope when there seems to be no hope?
Now discouragement is part of our human experience but we do not have to be hapless victims to the whims of discouragement. We can do something about it.
In the Bible, in I Kings 18 & 19 we see that it was a dark period for the Children of God. The nation went from a Theocracy, where God was their ruler, to having a King like other nations did. The people of Israel chose Saul as their first King because he was a great warrior. However, God desired David because David was a man after His own heart. After King David came Solomon and then we see a spiral downhill of one corrupt King after another. There are few exceptions but everytime a King would take a step toward God the next would take ten steps backward.
There was King Jeroboam followed by Baasha, Elah, Zimri, and Omri.
The Bible says of Omri:
“Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD and sinned more than all those before him.” After Omri there was Ahab his son. This is what is recorded of Ahab:
“Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam, but he also married Jezebel daughter of the king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.
It is during this reign of Ahab that we find Elijah the Prophet of God.
In I Kings 17 it explains that God sent Elijah to Ahab to warn him that God was going to stop the rain and that there would be a famine.
It had been three years and the Bible says, “Now the famine was severe in Samaria… Meanwhile Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets…
In the third year of the drought God sent Elijah back to an unrepentive King Ahab and his queen Jezebel with what Elijah thought was a plan that would change everything. Elijah was going to challenge Ahab and 450 prophets of Baal to a test in order to prove to everyone that Jehovah was the real God, not Baal.
Elijah set up two alters and two bulls to sacrifice. The Baal Priests would call upon Baal to ignite the alter and he would call on Jehovah. The God that lit the fire would be the real God. The Baal worshippers tried first—couldn’t do it.
Elijah poured water all over his offering and called upon God and God lit the fire!
The Bible records: Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!”
Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
So after this exciting VICTORY what does Elijah, this mighty man of God do?
He gets discouraged!
Let’s look at verse 1-5 of chapter 19.
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
LOOK WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: “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 desert. He came to a broom tree, 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.” Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.”
I remember reading this and asking myself,
“What could have caused Elijah to be so discouraged after such a great victory?
Four Causes of Discouragement
In answering WHAT CAUSES DISCOURAGEMENT? Rick Warren, author of the best seller, The Purpose Driven Life suggests 4 causes for discouragement.
#1 Cause – FATIGUE
What an exhausting day Elijah had. What a high. And yet after the high comes the physical letdown. After this great victory Elijah literally runs all the way to Jezreel. He had spared Ahab’s life but instead of hearing appreciation and repentance, instead of seeing what he felt would be a proper conclusion to the issue, he hears that Jezebel wants him dead. He then runs again to the desert, is completely exhausted and ends up thinking of suicide.
What was wrong?
Elijah’s plan did not work the way he thought it should. God won the challenge but the King and Queen did not repent and Elijah was too tired to fight anymore!
Rick Warren writes, “When you’re physically or emotionally exhausted, you’re a prime candidate to be infected with discouragement. Your defenses are lowered and things can seem bleaker than they really are. This often occurs when you have expended a lot of energy on a cause or project or a serious situation you are in. Soon you get tired and discouragement begins to set in.”
#2 Cause – FRUSTRATION – Delay of gratification
Proverbs says an interesting thing. It says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Elijah thought the victory was his, but Jezebel would not surrender. He was sick to his heart. He didn’t know what to do.
Rick Warren writes, “When unfinished tasks pile up, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. And when trivial matters or the unexpected interrupt you and prevent you from accomplishing what you really need to do, your frustration can easily produce discouragement.” How many of us have experienced this?
#3 Cause – FAILURE
Elijah thought he failed. Perhaps worse, he felt God had failed!
In chapter 19 God asks Elijah why he has come to see Him. Elijah says:
“I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken 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.”
You can hear his frustration. There is disappointment dripping from every word.
If you listen closely you can hear complaining about God not doing anything about the situation.
Again Rick Warren say, “Sometimes, our best laid plans fall apart — the project collapses — the deal falls through — no one shows up to the event. How do you react? Do you give in to self-pity? Do you blame others? As one man said, ‘Just when I think I can makes ends meet — somebody moves the ends!’ That’s discouraging!”
What we perceive as a failure can often cause us disappointment, anger, frustration and ultimately discouragement.
#4 Cause – FEAR
There are all sorts of fear. Some warranted some not. Some real, some figments of our imagination. Whether real or not, fear of harm, fear of what others may think of us, fear of abandonment can be causes of discouragement.
Elijah ran because Jezebel wanted him dead. He thought the days of Baal were over. The victory was his, but after all that went on that day, Jezebel only became more of a threat.
Fear is behind more discouragement than we’d like to admit. Here are a few:
The fear of criticism (What will they think?);
The fear of responsibility (What if I can’t handle this?)
The fear of failure (What if I blow it?)
These fears can cause a major onset of the blues. This can lead to anger toward our self, others and even God. Fear can lead to worry about the future. If we dwell on fear it can turn to self-pity, depression or withdrawal where we hide, pout, lick our wounds. Elijah ran to wilderness to get away from it all.
You know just reading this account can be discouraging, why afterall,.
if a Prophet of God cannot handle life what chance do we have???
The good news is that the story isn’t finished! There is more. God was not finished with Elijah yet! God had the cure for discouragement.
Look at I Kings 19:5-18
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
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.” 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. There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the LORD came to him:
“What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken 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.”
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. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave…
Then 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. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha to succeed you as prophet. 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. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Four Cures for Discouragement
1. Rest your body and Spirit
We see in this passage that an Angel came to Elijah and gave him food and rest two different times!
Are you discouraged? Are you sick and tired?
If so, you may need a break — take one! You’ll be more effective when you return to work. If we’re burning the candle at both ends, perhaps we’re not as bright as we think!
2. Resist the fear and frustration
Fear is a choice. If you feel discouraged, it’s because you’ve chosen to feel that way. No one is forcing you to feel bad. Get up and get back to it. Wait on the Lord, Resist discouragement. Fight back! Hang on! Do what’s right in spite of your feelings. No feeling lasts forever. Don’t fight the darkness, TURN THE LIGHT ON!!!
Much of our discouragement is simply a learned behavior. Often it is a learned behavior that brings us attention, sympathy or signals people to leave us alone. It is a way of keeping ourselves from growing up in the Lord and maturing as a Christian. It is easier to be discouraged then to do something about our situation.
In Psalms we read:
“The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life;
whom shall I dread?
In John 14:27 Jesus told us: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
Paul writes in Galatians 6:9 “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”
3. Correct Your thinking – Listen to what God thinks!
Leanne Payne, writes in her book, Restoring the Christian Soul, that we find ourselves discouraged when we listen to the wrong voice. We listen to negative voices of criticism, guilt and shame. We linger on residue from the past. Negative voices from family, school and friends of our youth. Instead Leanne Payne says that we need to listen to the voice of God.
A discouraged heart is not able to accept oneself in the same way that God accepts us. We just cannot seem to get to emotional and psychological freedom. We need to have our heart healed by God’s voice.
Elijah needed to hear God’s whisper. One thing that Leanne Payne suggests is to write down the negative sayings and bring them to God and wait and listen to what He has to say. Let God share with you what He thinks. Then replace those old thoughts with what He thinks about you.
I remember how hard it was for me to hear God say, “Ron I love you.” “It will be alright!” Even saying it makes me uncomfortable, but friends as I sit before God in the mornings and I allow Him to, I hear Him say, “Ron, I love you, I love you, I love you.” It is hard to hear but I don’t want Him to stop.
Let me ask you, have you heard him say, “I love you!”?
Paul emphasizes how important our thoughts are. He writes in Philippians 4:6-8:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
The Bible is full of stories about people who had a difficult experiences to overcome and listen to what they said!
Joshua and Caleb said, “Let’s go on and take possession of the Promised Land anyway.”
Job said, “Though He slay me, still will I trust in Him.”
David said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
Peter said, “Yes, Lord. You know I love You.”
Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say it. Rejoice.”
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.”
Now, it’s your turn. What will you say?
4. Trust God – He provides assistance
God brought an angel to assist Elijah. Then He provided Himself. There is a principle in God’s word. We see it illustrated in this story and many others in the Bible. It is this – when we are in trouble God will come to our side. He does this through Himself, His Holy Spirit and other people.
II Corinthians 1:3-4. Listen to Paul:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” This comfort is to “come along side of” us.
Here are two principles:
A. God Provides Helpers
Numbers 11:10-17
Moses was discouraged listening to the needs of the people. Listen to him…
If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”
The LORD said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.
David was fleeing from his son Absolom and God sent him a servant. David tried to get him to lead and save himself but the servant said, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.”
God uses people to be encouragers. That is why we are commanded to bear each others burdens. We are to encourage one another.
B. God Provides Himself
Nobody knew that God Himself was an encourager than David. He writes in Psalms 138:7 “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.”
Again in Psalms 42:5 the author writes, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Jesus, in John 14:1 said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.”
Elisha found himself discouraged, but God was able to help him see his way clear.
1. Rest your body and Spirit
2. Resist the fear and frustration
3. Listen to what God thinks about you and your situation!
4. Trust God He will provide assistance. He will come along side of you.
May God Guide you and keep you. May He shine His face upon you, keep you from discouragement and fill you with joy and peace.
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