When You’re Weary

Introduction

Please open in your Old Testament with me to 1 Kings chapter 19. 1 Kings chapter 19. And as you’re turning there, for anyone who thought that both sermons today would be out of 1 Kings, you win. I don’t have to worry about a prize because I know nobody thought that. 1 Kings chapter 19. As you’re turning there, I want you to think really hard for a moment, because I believe there are three types of people in this world. There are those who, when they’re hungry, get angry. There are those who are tired and get grouchy. And then there’s a third group of people who are both. I don’t know for a moment if you’re sitting next to somebody who gets the colloquial term is hangry. Do we have to work on some some cowardice and fear lessons here?

Raise your hand if you’re sitting next to somebody. Alright? Okay? What about when we’re tired? Now this one has to be. We’ve got to be honest. When you’re tired, who gets extra grouchy? Okay, there we go. Honesty and fear and some faith. We’re going to have to work on that. Third group, who’s sitting next to someone who’s both? Don’t answer that one. That one’s not good. There’s no winning that. If you’ve ever been near somebody or with somebody who particularly gets hangry, there’s an easy solution for that. And it’s act like your mom or your grandma and keep snacks on your person at all times. That way when someone gets hungry, you say, All right, I have your favorite food. They think you’re being nice. You’re making your day enjoyable.

Being prepared. It makes a difference. When we’re tired, if we’re honest, we don’t always make the best decisions. There are scientific reasons for that. But generally accept the idea that as we get tired, our decision-making processes aren’t what they could or otherwise should be. And so, of course, there’s only one answer to that, and it’s to get rest. The problem is sometimes it’s not a matter of physical fatigue that gets to us. Sometimes we’re just weary. That is, a weariness isn’t just being sleepy or needing rest or even needing food. Weariness comes from repeating and going on and on with no resolution or rest. That is we get beat down in our everyday life. We may have enough sleep, we may have enough food, but we’re just kind of tired of the struggles, tired of the yoke bearing down on us, tired of what life throws onto and at us seemingly at every turn.

It can happen to the best of us. In 1 Kings chapter 19, notice who we’re speaking of. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, how he had killed all the prophets with the sword, and then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, So may the gods do to me, and more also if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow. Then he was afraid. He arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree, and he asked that he might die, saying, It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my father’s.

You see, it’s interesting. Elijah is perhaps one of the strongest men of faith in the Old Testament, and it is him in verse 4 saying, God, it’s time for me just to go. Just take me now. Well, why? Well, in chapter 1, perhaps the most wicked duo of all time in the Old Testament, Ahab and Jezebel, have decided, and when Ahab and Jezebel decide something, by the way, that means Jezebel decided that Elijah needed to die. Because what had he done? Well, as you look at 1 Kings chapter 18, not only are we talking about one of the greatest men of faith, one of the strongest men of faith there are in the Old Testament scriptures, 1 Kings chapter 18 is one of the most phenomenal events in Scripture.

And you could argue, 1 Kings chapter 18, if you’ll turn back there with me, is one of the greatest shows of God’s power, strength, and a victory that God had that has ever been aside from the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. When you look at 1 Kings chapter 18, you notice that Ahab already doesn’t really like Elijah because he refers to him in the first several verses as the troubler of Israel. And as Elijah comes before him, he says, Oh, Elijah, there he is, the great troubler of Israel. Well, why would Ahab not like Elijah? Well, being the prophet of God, Elijah would come to him and tell him, You’ve got to be better. You have to be faithful. You have to do what God expects you to do.

Now, Ahab wouldn’t do that, so he’d find himself constantly opposed to Elijah. So anytime Elijah shows up, you know what Ahab’s thinking? Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. What now? And finally, they decide in verse 17, we have to do something about this. Again, Ahab gives that beautiful greeting. Is it you, O troubler of Israel, to Elijah? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table. By the way, there’s a little knife twisting there. When you look at verse 19, he doesn’t just say, No, no, no, I’m not the troubler of Israel.

You are the reason Israel has a problem. And by the way, what are you doing about it? Well, it’s those 450 prophets of Baal, those 400 prophets of Asherah, and where are they? The last phrase of 19. Eating at Jezebel’s table. You are the problem, Ahab. And so as you think about how this is going to go, we know what 1 Kings chapter 18 shows. There is this great showdown. It is going to be 450 prophets of Baal, undoubtedly with the support vocally, physically, emotionally, mentally of Jezebel. She has the king and the queen of Israel behind Baal, the 450 prophets, and this altar ready to be burnt on fire. And over on the other side, you have Elijah and his altar. And we’re going to decide once and for all who is God.

Enough with the farce, Israel. Decide, is Baal God or is Yahweh or Jehovah God? We will see. And so, of course, you see in those verses, the beginning of the challenge in 1 Kings chapter 18, the Baal prophets call out to God. And what do they hear back? Nothing. And because he’s one of my favorite people, Elijah twists the knife again. What does he do? No pun intended. He says, maybe he can’t hear you. Maybe you need to call out. Maybe he’s out for the moment. Maybe, maybe you’ve got to get catch his voicemail. There’s no voicemail in the Old Testament. Everyone relax. That was a joke. As we think about what he’s telling them, though, he’s saying, if you can’t get him to answer, it’s going to be my turn.

And if God sends down fire and consumes my altar, and yours is undone, we have to worship God. Nobody comes. Nobody answers. The altar of the prophets of Baal, even though they’re cutting themselves, trying to get attention to Baal, nothing happens. And Elijah says, okay, one more time, I’m going to make this more difficult. Not only does he have God end up shooting fire down from heaven and consuming the altar, he says, No, no, that’s too simple. That’s too easy. I’m by myself here. I’m going to douse it with water. In fact, I want a moat dug around it. I want everything of this to be saturated with water. I want this to be as difficult as possible. Only a true and living God could consume this with fire.

And Elijah calls out to God and he says, I want you to turn the hearts of the people back to you this day, God. I want there to be this victory for you. And he calls out to God. He says, Send fire and consume the altar. Prove and show that you are God. And whoos. Down from heaven came fire. And all of the water, all of the altar, all that was on it was licked up by the fire from God. And so in the aftermath, the 450 prophets of Baal are taken. They’re rounded up. They’re slaughtered by Elijah. God has purged a lot of the evil out of the midst of Israel. God’s chosen servant, Elijah, is serving well. He’s on top of the world. This is a 10 out of 10 on the victory scale.

And we find himself with this great victory on behalf of God. And then in chapter 19, just like that. He’s forced to flee for his life. It’s easy to look at this and think in chapter 19 when Elijah says, Look, it’s enough for me. I’m no better than my father’s. I might as well die. Just take me now, God, that he’s being a little bit dramatic. But you think about Elijah’s life. What has it been? His life was not a bunch of victories at Mount Carmel. He was the one who Ahab would say, There’s the troubler of Israel again. There’s Elijah constantly trying to get me on track. You know what that means for Elijah? I am constantly having to try to teach this message and the need to obey God, and I’m constantly being rejected.

Elijah realizes there’s no point in me living. I’ve won the greatest victory that can be had. Everybody saw how great and powerful God is. And even now, I’m forced to flee. Where am I, verse 4? I’m sitting under a broom tree, hiding out because Jezebel is seeking to take my life. Verse 3 says, Elijah was afraid. And he was alone. He was discouraged. He was weary. In verse 5, he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.

And he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food 40 days and 40 nights to the mount of God. There he came to a cave and lodged in it, and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord the God of hosts, for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only am left. And they seek my life to take it away. Elijah is wearied to say the least.

Sometimes we feel like we’re alone. Elijah is actually alone. There was no social networking, there was no cell phone. He is in a cave. He is by himself. He’s basically eaten twice in about 42 days. He is alone. It’s an understatement to say he was discouraged. It’s almost insulting to say that he was just wearied. How do you pick up and go on when you feel like there’s no good to be done? Imagine if you’re Elijah, not only are you running for your life, you’re like, what else can we do? I had God send down fire from heaven in front of a hundreds of people and witnesses, and if that won’t win over faithfulness, what can I possibly do? And then I relate to that feeling, not because I’ve ever seen anything remotely that powerful or strong with my own eyes.

1. Get Up and Look

But because sometimes I feel like, what is the point? What good can I do? Here I am day after day after day, banging my head on this wall, dealing with the same people, the same troubles. Having the same conversations, even. And what do I gain for it? Nothing. Maybe you even relate to Elijah, and for all those struggles and troubles that you have, you’re being persecuted for them. Maybe you feel like Elijah in verse 10. When he says, Everyone out there is doing wickedness. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to kill me. What could you possibly want from me, God? Notice his advice for Elijah. When we’re weary, there’s some things that we can learn from Elijah. One of them is get up. Get up and look.

And notice in verse 11. After Elijah has and says his piece, in verse 11, he said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?

The first step when you are wearied, when you feel like you’re alone, brokenhearted, and can’t go on. Is remember that you can and must first get up. You notice that’s the first phrase in verse 11. Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Get up. And look, what are we looking for, verse 11? What are we supposed to see, verse 12? Well, Elijah sees God. He sees the great power of God. First, he sees the text says the Lord passed by. You see the wind, you see the earthquake, you see the fire. Elijah should see that God is with him. And by the way, if we’re honest, not only should we look out, we need to look back. Because if you look back to verses 5, 6, and 7, what has God already done for Elijah when he was alone, wearied, and discouraged.

Taking care of his needs. By the way, his needs were met in a cave while he was heartbroken. God didn’t take care of his wants or his greeds. He took care of his needs. He should look back. He should look out. Elijah is told by God, You need to see me. Remember, what is Elijah’s problem? I alone am left. They are trying to kill me. God says, You don’t worry about that. I see you. I am strong. I am in control. That is why the signs of power in verse 11 are so important. Who’s in control of all of the world? God is. Who can make the earth shake, send fire from the heavens, control the winds? God can. First advice get up and look. In verse 14, Elijah repeats his problem.

2. Get Up and Go Do What God Appointed

I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I alone, am left, and they seek my life to take it away. Notice God’s response a second time to Elijah in verse 15. And the Lord said to him, Go return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu, the son of Nimshe, you shall anoint to be king over Israel. And Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abel Mahallah, you shall anoint to the prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death.

And the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elijah put to death. Do you notice a similarity in verse 11 and 15? Elijah says, I don’t see any purpose in moving forward. I’m alone. I have done the best I can, and it’s not good enough. And God says in verse 11, and in verse 15, you what? Go. Get up. And 15, what does he say? First he said, Look, get up and stand on the cleft of the mountain and see me. Verse 15, get up and what? Go and do what I have appointed you to do. I have a mission for you. We’re going to make some application in just a moment, but can we stop here and make one obvious one? Sometimes the devil’s most powerful instrument is discouragement.

We think it’s flashy temptation. We think it’s putting ourselves in an unwinnable situation. Sometimes the devil, Satan, the quote unquote adversary of God’s people, and of God himself, wants nothing more than to take God’s strongest, Elijah, and to whisper in his ear, you’re not making a difference. There’s nothing you can do. What’s the point? Why bother? God says, Elijah, you feel alone. You’re saying you’re the only one left serving me. I still have need of you. What do you do, verse 15? You go and do my work. In fact, when you go and do my work, who are you going to see there? Other people doing my work too. You’re going to find Elisha. You’re going to find Jehu. Verse 18, yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.

God says, You are not alone. I am with you. You are not to be brokenhearted. I have a goal and a plan for you. And you are not even alone in this world. You have a partner, Elijah, to join up with. You have someone who will serve my purposes like Jehu. And you are far from the only one who has not bowed the knee to Baal. In fact, there are at least 7,000. And I know who they are, God says, because I am in control. But to meet up with this help, what would he have to do? Going back to verse 15 again. He’d have to go. I want to confront a reality for a moment. Sometimes when we preach lessons on being weary or faint hearted, we act as if that means put on a fake smile and go about your life.

Do you notice God never tells Elijah, smile? He never says, hey, pretend it’s better. He says, you go. When is he telling him this message? In a cave. When he’s deserted. When he’s made his opinion known, he doesn’t feel like he can move on or serve any positive purpose any longer. He said, You might as well take my life. Just because we’re brokenhearted and weary doesn’t mean we can’t serve God. Do we need to work on that? Yes. But you know what a part of life is that Elijah is having to learn that’s very difficult for me to apply? That while I’m separated from God, life isn’t all smiles and happiness. Remember, was God providing for Elijah in this chapter? Had he forgotten him? No. And yet, where is he?

In a cave. Not having eaten much for 42 days. And what he did have, God provided. So when we think about getting up, this is not to say, get up, act like there’s no problem. No. Realize you do have problems. Being apart from God means I will have problems. I will make mistakes. I might be like Elijah and be overdramatic. But no matter what, whether real or perceived, I need to leave my problems behind and go find my God. And do what he asks. The easiest thing for the devil to do to keep God’s kingdom from progressing is to get Christians not on the other side. That’s hard. But to get us on the sidelines. To get us to sit out and not participate because it’s not my job.

3. Take the Help God Offers

I don’t feel like I can make an impact, or it just doesn’t suit me at the moment. God tells Elijah in verse 11 and verse 15, you go. You find help. You be a part. And so three applications this morning. When I am weary, what do I do? First of all, take the help God offers. Take the help God offers. Look at me in Galatians chapter 6. We obviously want to take the obvious application of this, but then I want to look at the other side of the coin. In Galatians chapter 6, we have an obligation, a responsibility to our brothers and sisters. In fact, in verse 1, it’s a critical one. In Galatians chapter 6 and verse 1, brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

Keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. So what do we know that we need to do? Well, we need to be looking for the Elijahs who feel alone. If we are Elisha, if we are Jehu, if we are the 7,000, we need to find the one who feels isolated and make sure he’s not. This is part of God’s plan that we bear one another’s burdens. But can I add a very important caveat to verse 1, 2, and 3? Bearing one another’s burdens not only takes someone willing to bear burdens, it takes someone willing to share burdens. My life experience is another two types of people that I’ve known.

People who are really good helpers, and people who are really good at sharing their problems. Sometimes we like to think like those are only two types of groups. And they are, in some cases. But you know what the problem with that group is? You say, I want to be part of the group that helps people. That’s good. But you know what I’ve noticed? A lot of people who are good at helping others are struggle with a lot? Taking help. Sharing their burdens. If Galatians chapter 6 is inspired by God, as it is, and Paul is writing correctly, which he has, then not only do I have to look to bear one another’s burdens, I have to make sure I am willing to take help as part of God’s plan myself.

One, because I need it. Two, because I’m depriving my brothers and sisters of their responsibility before God if I try to stubbornly do it myself. It’s really easy to say I need to be better at looking to help. It’s hard to make sure I look out and help. It’s also easy to say, yeah, I’ll take help when I need it. It’s really difficult to receive help. Sometimes because of our pride.

But you know, other times it’s not even anything quite so sinister. Sometimes it’s just a stubbornness that says, I don’t need it, I can do it myself. I don’t need it, I don’t want to trouble somebody else. And while that’s an admirable attitude, it’s wrong in light of scriptures. When we need help, what does God expect us to do? Take it, and when somebody needs it, he expects us to give it. That means we have to be on both sides of that coin. If Galatians 6 is part of God’s plan, it means I have to give and receive help. In Acts chapter 20, Paul has to submit this point to the Christians he’s speaking to. In Acts chapter 20. As we think about him writing to the Ephesian elders, the elders at Ephesus, he concludes a passage that should be well studied.

But in verse 35, allow me to take this quickly.

And again, we say, of course. But that means somebody has to receive. Who receives in verse 35? Those who are weak. But you know what Elijah shows us? You can be a strong individual of faith and have moments, days, months of weakness. What did Elijah need when he was in the cave? He needed food, but he needed encouragement. He needed to know he wasn’t alone, and God showed him in verse 11, you go and look and see you’re not alone. In verse 15, you go and see that I have other helpers who will help you as you do your role in my plan. When we’re weary, take the help God offers. Don’t lament being alone. Find someone. Find God and enjoy him. In Matthew chapter 6 and verse 25, we see another example.

4. Do Not Be Anxious; Seek First the Kingdom

How are we to respond when we’re weary? Well, Matthew chapter 6 and verse 25, Jesus says, Do not be anxious about your life. He doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room there. Even the best of lawyers can’t do much with that. Do not be anxious about your life. And notice what he specifies in verse 25. What you will eat, what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. These are pretty much fundamental aspects of life. If we’re not worrying about that, what are we worrying about? Rhetorical answer Jesus wants us to get to. Nothing. There’s nothing worth worrying about. Why? Because of verse 33. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and see this last phrase. All these things will be added to you.

There’s much that I love in Matthew chapter 6. One of them is found in verse 27. Worrying doesn’t do a single bit of good. And which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to a span of life? Translation, don’t worry because it doesn’t make your situation better. But verse 33 is the real application. What should I be doing when I’m weary when I’m broken down? Immersed myself in God’s arms. Isn’t it amazing that God wants us with our problems? That when we have issues, 1 Peter chapter 5 says, Cast your anxieties on the Lord. That is unfathomable. The creator, the perfect heavenly Father, doesn’t just want you. He doesn’t just want me to be his child. He is willing to take my problems.

5. Cast Your Burdens on the Lord

And so what does it mean if when I’m weary, I say I’m alone and I have no one to help me. I’m not only turning my back on others. I’m turning my back on God, who has promised to supply all of my need. Sometimes when we are down and feeling out, we have to remember Elijah was told not once but twice, you go. Jesus says, if you focus on the things that matter, the kingdom of God and his righteousness, God will take care of the rest. There’s no reason to worry. And so I need to make sure I am taking my steps forward and going to the work that God would have me do. And then finally, make sure that I actually do cast my burdens on the Lord.

It’s interesting. Note the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 11. And Matthew chapter 11. It is phenomenal. It is unfathomable. It is amazing that Jesus would think of us like this. Matthew 11 and verse 25. At that time Jesus declared, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. One big obstacle to accepting this as the wonderful passage of faith that it is. When Jesus says in verse 30, My yoke is easy, we go, wait a minute. That is not true. In Luke chapter 14, Jesus says, Count the cost of following me, because it is high, it is extreme. But Jesus says what? In verse 30, my burden is light, my yoke is easy. What is he saying? Relative to verse 28. You who labor and are heavy laden, what will I offer you? Rest. Peace. True joy. This world is full of that which will make us weary.

Conclusion

There are burdens from people like Jezebel who are out to get us. Followers like Ahab, who are too cowardly to do what God would have us to do. There are those who make money off of our problems, like the 450 prophets of Baal. There are times that we will feel self-isolated, put ourselves against the wall, and say, There’s no point in going forward. But Jesus says, God cares for you. He accepts you to go. No, it will not be simple. But there is a solution to your burden. There is an answer to your weariness. That Jesus, our Father, will give you rest. If you’ve never become a Christian, recognize true rest, true peace is only possible in Christ Jesus. And God, who makes his will known to us, when he says, seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, shows us who the king is, and that king is Christ.

And so we not only need to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We need to repent of our rebellious attitude that says, My will will work. I can do it on my own. The answer is no, you can’t. No one is good enough to do it on their own. That’s why Jesus died. And that’s why Jesus was resurrected. You need to confess him as Lord and all that that means. Willing to be baptized, sharing in that most amazing victory that God ever had. That death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. And you can have your sins washed away. You can have peace, joy, and fulfillment in a world that wishes for you to have none of the above. Maybe you’re a Christian, you’ve tried to do it on your own, you realize you can’t.

That I need help. I need my brothers and sisters, not because I’m weak, but because I need those who are strong. Elijah was a strong man of faith, but he had his moment of weakness. Don’t look at it as a pride issue. Look at it as a serving God issue. Take God’s help. He’s given you brothers and sisters, and they’re sitting all around you this morning. If we can help you in any way, be pleasing to God before you leave this building. Come forward now as we stand and sing the invitation song.