In the Shade of the Juniper Tree

But he himself traveled a day’s journey into the wilderness,
and he came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked [God] that he might die.
He said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.
(1 Kings 19:4 AMP)

I hope this doesn’t happen to anyone reading this but there is an excellent chance that at some point in your life you will reach a point of total exhaustion—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You may feel like you just want to give up. Your friends may helpfully throw scripture at you. Thank them and save the scriptures for later, when you are strong enough to stand on them.

The story of the prophet Elijah is an example of how God deals with the exhausted, the overwhelmed, the ones despairing, because they are exhausted from standing or walking or sitting or believing.

Elijah had just come from a major victory over the Baal prophets. To prove God was the true God of Israel, Elijah called down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice on the altar, an act the pagan Baals were unable to duplicate. He then commanded the Baal prophets to be put to death, which infuriated Jezebel, the queen of Israel, and a Baal follower. Breathing threats of murder and mayhem, she sent her henchmen to find Elijah, who took off at high speed. One minute, he was an invincible prophet of God, the next one a normal, fallible human being.

“Be as watchful after the victory as before the battle” (Andrew Bonar, Minister, Free Church of Scotland).

Whenever you have a major spiritual victory, watch out. This is often the time when you get caught with your guard down and then comes the plunge. There is a phenomenon known as “post event depression,” that results from the withdrawal of stress hormones. Having been involved in the planning and preparation of many events in my work life, I know how the long hours and stress can affect people. The adrenalin and excitement keep the momentum going, and then, after the event, the emotional and physical crash comes. Usually the next day, a bunch of tired, cranky, depressed people arrive at the office and wander aimlessly around, growling at each other. The best solution is always food, rest, and then getting back to work.

Elijah was so depressed he asked God to take his life. I don’t think any of our staff ever reached this point although they occasionally threatened each other’s lives.

When Elijah begged God to remove him from the world, God didn’t smack him upside the head or tell him to get a grip and hold onto scripture. Instead, He handled him gently and kindly. He encouraged the prophet to rest, catered a meal via an angel, and helped him get his eyes off the situation and back onto his Lord.

When someone has reached the point of exhaustion where they just can’t face taking one more step, quite often what is needed are simple practical steps. Rest—physical and mental —is usually the first order of the day, followed by sustenance. Stressed, overwhelmed people seldom make good food choices. Sometimes appetites simply disappear, and people barely eat at all.

Once the physical has been taken care of, the next step is to spend quality time with the Savior. Not digging into the deep things of God but just enjoying His presence and spending time with Him. This is the best prescription to  emerge refreshed and ready to face the next challenge.

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV).