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Overwhelmed and Exhausted, part 4 - Unmet Expectations

12/13/2010

       This is part four of a study on what to do if you are overwhelmed and exhausted. This week we need to look at a question that God asked Elijah twice in dealing with his sense of being overwhelmed and exhausted. You might be surprised at what God was trying to do to help Elijah.

             One of the problems that happens when we are overwhelmed and exhausted is that we lose    perspective on life. We become so burdened and weighed down by our present circumstances that we cannot see where we are any longer. God asked Elijah a simple question. His question is one we need to ask when we get this way. “What are you doing here, Elijah,” God posed to his exhausted servant. What is fascinating is that God asked this question twice. Elijah spoke of his great zeal for God—Israel’s great sin and unfaithfulness to God—of Israel’s rejection of every prophet sent to them—and finally of the fact that now they are seeking to kill him too. This was Elijah’s answer to God both times he was asked the same question. Notice anything about these answers? Let me help you if you’ve missed it. Neither of them answered what God was asking. God wasn’t asking Elijah what he had been through recently—but why he was where he was now. Elijah answered both times with the circumstances that were overwhelming him. Let’s look at how this should instruct us.

Elijah was focused on what had happened in the past—not on where it was landing him right now. That is a sign of someone who is overwhelmed. They cannot see past what has happened—to where they are now. Elijah’s   answer is telling though. Where he was had to do with what he thought about God. He was zealous—He addressed Israel’s unfaithfulness—He was persecuted—and He was facing death threats. Notice something about this answer. It was all about what HE had done—and—how God was not coming through like He should be based on what Elijah was doing. One of the reasons we get overwhelmed is because our “expectations” are not being met the way we think they should be. Part of our problem is that we have entered into strong labor—exhausting labor—even labor in obedience to God—but we have entered into it with expectations of what God should do because we are laboring. What happens to us when God does not come through with OUR expected results? Often we get seriously stressed out. Most think that maybe they just need to work harder, which does not help our stress level at all. Each time God does not come through with the expected results we get even more stressed. Finally, we snap and wind up under a tree or on a mountain side having God ask us what we are doing there (well, actually that was Elijah—but we have our places too, don’t we).

Here is God’s wisdom for us. We are servants—and we serve as our Lord has commanded. We serve in faith desiring good results. We labor in the strength He provides—hoping for an outcome. But we labor leaving the results up to Him—even if they are not what we want—or they don’t come as soon as we think they should. If we do not take this view . . . we will end up with unmet expectations that stress us out. But our stress is not due to what God has     commanded. It is due to our unmet expectations. Lay down the expectations and serve Him without them—and you will be amazed at how your stress level—your exhaustion and overwhelmed level will drop.

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Overwhelmed and Exhausted, part 3 - Who are you trying to please?

12/11/2010

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   This is part three of a study on what to do if you are overwhelmed and exhausted.  If you thought from last week’s article that God’s Word was going to let you quit for good, you are unfortunately mistaken.  This week we will look at what God did next to help alleviate Elijah’s sense of being overwhelmed and exhausted.

              Something that often is overlooked in this passage is the fact that God pretty much encouraged Elijah to lay down and rest—sleep if you will.  He did this twice—taking time to feed Elijah each time when he awakened.  Now there is a view out there that says when we are serving the Lord, we should work to the point of utter exhaustion.  Unfortunately, there are many who have taken that advice—and have worked themselves to that point of being exhausted.  Such a view is contrary to God’s Word.  Let’s take a look at what might have caused Elijah’s exhaustion (and possibly yours too).

            Elijah said in his first statement to God, “I am no better than my fathers.”  This statement revealed a little of    Elijah’s mistaken reasoning that led to his exhaustion.  It had to do with the expectations that Elijah was carrying.  He was to be “better” than his fathers.  Now granted, his fathers were the people of that generation whose actions and choices had led to a gutter-level low point in Israel’s spiritual history.  But whether our fathers are awesome or awful spiritually the same Biblical principle holds on this issue.  We are not to examine ourselves with ourselves.  The standard to which Elijah was to adhere was God’s—not one that was compared to the failings or the excelling of his   fathers.  This can be a burden that is unbearably heavy.  For Elijah this burden was most likely one where he could not make even one mistake.  He had to be absolutely faultless and perfect to best his fathers.  What is amazing is that until Jezebel threatened him—he was doing awesome.  But HAVING to do awesome every moment of your life, winds up not being so awesome.  Mess up once—and your house of cards comes tumbling down.  You tried so hard to keep them up, and now they’ve fallen.  You might say, Elijah?  Building a house of cards?  Look at where he wound up after all his efforts.  He is under a tree wanting to die.  The problem with doing “better than your fathers” is that when you do—you become proud.  But that pride goes before a fall, because one slip—and suddenly you are “no better than your fathers.”

            Here is a little secret for you.  God expects you to do what He says, in the strength He provides, and according to the Word He uses to instruct you.  There is no hidden agenda of you being better than anybody else.  There are no charts where you are trying to be number one by out-doing, out-serving, out-sharing, out-witnessing, out-loving—or for that matter out-anything-elseing any other person who knows the Lord.  God simply wants you to know Him, love Him, and serve Him as He directs you.  He knows your frame—and He knows that you are human (which means you are prone to goofing up in life).  You might find that once you’ve taken the ‘got-to-out-do’ everyone else monkey off your back that you begin to learn to serve God in peace—rather than serve Him in one-upping your fathers constantly.  Who knows, you might find that loving God this way becomes much less overwhelming and exhausting?

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Overwhelmed and Exhausted, part 4 - Unmet Expectations

Overwhelmed and Exhausted, part 3 - Who are you trying to please?

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Overwhelmed and Exhausted, part 4 - Unmet Expectations

Overwhelmed and Exhausted, part 3 - Who are you trying to please?

Biblical Articles

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