EVER FELT LIKE ENDING IT ALL?......THEN YOU'RE IN GOOD COMPANY!(PART 2)

1Ki 19:9-10  There he went into a cave to spend the night. Suddenly the LORD spoke to him, "Elijah, what are you doing here?"  He answered, " LORD God Almighty, I have always served you---you alone. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed all your prophets. I am the only one left---and they are trying to kill me!"

Two emotions that overwhelm a man or woman who is discouraged or depressed is a great sense of isolation and hopelessness.

It is true that when we get into trouble at times, people could leave us( you could read my post LEFT ALONE for more details of this) but I also find that in some cases, people when they get depressed or discouraged tend to avoid the company of people who could help them the most.

When they feel pity for themselves, they would run away from that friend who would get in their face, and tell them to quit their pity party and sometimes seek out the company of those who offer them an easy way out. They avoid the company of any one who would challenge them to come out of the state they find themselves or to confront the situation.

For instance a woman or man who wants to get a divorce, hates the one that tells him to fight for his marriage preferring the company of those that give her or him the support to quit the marriage. Those who confront us with our faults in an argument are easily shoved aside for those who would blindly support our point of view no matter what. Hence, these people give us the fuel we need to keep on in our error and not deal with it. 

If we fail to find such "yeah sayers" we may then turn into our shells and hide off.

You may be reading this and expecting to be pitied but just like God asked Elijah, I would like to know 'What are you doing here?!'

We always want to offer a shoulder to cry on to one who is depressed but sometimes God would want us to think about what we are doing. I ask again "what are you doing here?". Do you have a clear understanding of what you are doing or has your emotions distorted your understanding of the events?

Sometimes our self-pity comes from a wrong perception of the situation. Our emotions could keep us from seeing things clearly but if you have someone who is a bit removed from the events, He/She could point out where you got it wrong.

Some people have such great gifting and have been equipped by God to deal with the situation they are confronted with (just like Elijah was) but they choose to bury their heads in the sand or turn tail and run at the slightest sign of conflict. The challenge looks so much more than it actually is especially when we can no longer look at it through the eyes of faith. 

An example of this is the children of Israel when they were about to enter the promise land for the first time. Here is what they spies said:

Num 13:31-33  "We can't attack those people," the men who were with him said, "because they're too strong compared to us."So they put out this false report to the Israelis about the land that they had explored: "The land that we've explored is one that devours its inhabitants. All the people whom we observed were giants. We also saw the Nephilim, the descendants of Anak. Compared to the Nephilim, as we see things, we're like grasshoppers, and that's their opinion of us!" 

If I was there that day I would have loved to ask them some questions like:

1. How did you determine the strength of an opponent that you have not faced in battle? 
2.  If the Land devours its inhabitants like you say, why are there people still living in it? (we should gladly walk in and let them give us possession of the land then, No battle needed!) and also how come that the ground of this land provides these fruits that you brought back with you but still devours its inhabitants?
3. Why are they giants, if they live so terribly?
4. How were you able to know their opinion of you? Did they tell you or could you read their minds?

For a people whose land devours its inhabitants they sure did well to end up as giants to the extent that we look like grasshoppers before them, don't you think? Maybe we are the ones who aren't living in the best place here!

Anyway lets move on! 

While the option of Isolating ones self may seem a good idea, it could prolong the depression. We need the support and godly advise of people around us in the times of distress.

However, even though the company and support of people could help us in our distress, the greatest need that confronts us is our need for God, simply because, people no matter how loving or caring may be unable to help and sometimes may cause more harm than good (A typical example of this is Job's friends who added to his distress by their counsel and his wife who told him to curse God and die).

Friend, Don't give up yet. God knows what you can take long before you faced down that challenge.

I would like to say to you that if God brought you into it, then He can bring you through it.

I am learning that no matter what happens I can always turn to God. 

He is a very present help in the time of trouble, He gives power to the faint, and to them that have run out of strength, he increases their strength. 

I know prayer can be very tough when we are depressed but we can not afford not to. Turn to Him today, even if he rebukes you, He is also loving enough to rescue you. Your mistakes doesn't have to be the end.

God can turn  this for your good!