“Ministering in Your Misery”

In the 19th chapter of 1 Kings – Elijah, fearing for his life, ran away into the wilderness and found himself under a juniper tree. Verse 4 says, “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.”

How many times do we find ourselves trying to minister in misery? How many times do we tell God it is enough? The Lord sent an angel to strengthen Elijah with food because the Lord said the journey will be too great without strength. Often times when we find ourselves in misery we want to throw in the towel and ask the Lord it would be better for the Lord to take our lives rather than deal with the task and burdens at hand.

The Lord told Elijah to get up and go. Elijah then found himself in a cave and the Lord spoke to him and said, “Elijah, what are you doing here?” Elijah then gave a list of what everyone was doing to him but never once did he offer up what his part in his misery was.

Too often we look to other people and our circumstances to blame for our misery but we never examine ourselves in the mirror.

I have learned that misery can come from all places. But the Lord will send angels to encourage us in the journey. We must receive the comfort of the Lord through his word and we must know that God is able to carry us through our misery if we trust Him in the process. Sometimes we look for a BIG miracle. But sometimes He speaks in a still small voice…

Are you willing to trust God and continue to minister through your misery?