Dealing with discouragement

I Kings 19 v 1-19
Introduction
The Blind date! Most of us are not strangers to discouragement. Most of us have known times when our discouragement actually tuned into despair. “The main trouble with despair is that it is self fulfilling. People who fear the worst tend to invite it”. Elijah went through a period of discouragement, despair and depression. There is much we can learn from him.

I The causes of discouragement
Emotional stress
He had just been through incredible confrontation
He was facing continuing problems
Physical exhaustion
1.He had ran from Jezebel (v3)
2. He had gone even beyond that (v4)
Personal opposition
1.Jezebel had made threats (v2)
2. He was actually in danger
Significant achievement (18:42-45)
He had just seen a great victory
Discouragement often comes after triumph
Basic fear (v2)
He was afraid of what Jezebel could/would do to him
Fear is a powerful emotion and it is usually negative
Simplistic thinking
He evidently thought that a victory would take care of everything
This made him vulnerable to despair’s cousin disillusionment
Heavy responsibility (v10)
The situation was clouded by his own misconceptions
He saw himself as incredibly responsible
II. The process of discouragement
Flight- he ran away from the trials
Negative thinking- his words drip with negativity each time he speaks, (v 4, 10)
Withdrawal- he withdrew from everyone, (v 4, 9) and appears to be withdrawing from God
Blame shifting (v10)- He laid the problem on the people of Israel, he saw hi problem as that of someone else.
Improper comparisons (v4, 10), I am no better than them
III. The results of discouragement
Personal isolation- through all of this he is alone
Loss of perspective (v10)- “I am the only one left”- he wasn’t
Self pity- “self pity is a drug that leaves its addicts wasted and derelict”
Suicidal tendencies (v4)- he really didn’t want to die, if he did he could have stayed where he was, Jezebel would have taken care of it!
IV. The cure for discouragement
Get up- physically (v5, 7)- this was only after rest was granted, sometimes spiritually the best thing you can do is take a nap!
Look up- Spiritually v 11-14)- God came and spoke to him and gave him a message of hope.
Link up- emotionally v 16, 19a- God gave him Elisha to strengthen him
Gird up- practically v 15-17)- God gave him a job to do- it is easier to do your way into feeling than it is to feel your way into doing
Shape up- preferentially (v14) Elijah still complains after seeing God’s glory, but God laid tasks before him, the choice was his
Conclusion
Sparky the Loser. “Despair is not handled by giving it. It is handled best by giving out something of yourself to others. By giving out a person has no time for despair and so it departs. God calls us to serve, out of love, let his love in and flow through you.