What Do You Do When Everything Changes?
Notes
Transcript
Before we talk about God’s Word tonight, I need to name something that we’re all feeling.
Something changed.
And when something changes that you didn’t choose, it creates feelings you didn’t ask for.
Some of you feel sad.
Some of you feel angry.
Some of you feel confused.
Some of you feel betrayed.
Some of you feel nothing at all — and you don’t know why.
I want you to hear this clearly before we go any further… NONE OF THOSE REACTIONS ARE WRONG.
What matters is what we do with those feelings — because feelings are powerful…but they’re terrible leaders.
There are adult decisions and adult responsibilities behind what happened that I can’t get into. But I CAN promise you this:
This wasn’t careless
This wasn’t random
And it was because God quit caring about your or the Connect Students ministry
When someone you trust disappears from your life…it messes with you.
It can make you wonder…
Can I trust leaders??
Are things ever going to feel ok again??
What happens if someone else leaves??
And the good news tonight is this…
You are not the first people to feel this way.
There’s a moment in the Bible where one of God’s greatest leaders hit a wall emotionally.
He’s exhausted.
He’s disappointed.
He feels alone.
He feels like everything he gave his life to was unraveling.
And what’s interesting is that God doesn’t shame him for how he feels.
God meets him right there — and then helps him figure out what comes next.
PRAY
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
In that moment… Everything changed for Elijah.
He was a prophet of God…
Prayed and God caused a 3 year drought
Faced down a bunch of fake prophets
Prayed and God sent fire from heaven
Then prayed and God sent rain again
And now… A QUEEN was promising to kill him.
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness.
When everything is falling apart…the ABSOLUTE WORST thing you can do is leave everyone and go off to be by yourself.
You don’t make it through hard stuff by yourself.
He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
In this moment, Elijah is in one of the darkest moments he had ever experienced.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah’s faith had faltered — and his fears had risen — and his emotions had gone crazy…
And in that moment… God STILL SAW HIM.
When your faith falters — and your fears rise — and your emotions go crazy…
God still sees you.
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
Elijah — “I’ve done so much…….and now everyone has left me…….and I’m so scared.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Why is it so important that we….
Read the Bible?
Pray to God?
Stay calm?
Listen closely?
It’s important because often God speaks in whispers and you can only hear Him if you’re intentionally listening for him.
Elijah hadn’t been listening very good….. But now he was ready to…
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
God asked the same question…. And Elijah gave the same answer….
And then God gives the solution…
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.”
God gave Elijah a job…..not because He’s disappointed in him.
God gives Elijah a job because He’s not done with him…
And PURPOSE IS HOW GOD HELPS PEOPLE HEAL.
It’s how God helps you heal…
God didn’t ignore Elijah’s feelings.
God didn’t minimize his pain.
God didn’t tell him to “just be stronger.”
God fed him.
God listened to him.
God reminded him he wasn’t alone.
And then…when Elijah was ready…God gave him something to do.
Not because Elijah failed…
But because God STILL HAD A FUTURE FOR HIM.
Tonight, if your heart feels heavy, hear this:
GOD HAS A FUTURE FOR YOU.
INVITATION: Give your pain to Jesus — follow Him.
CHALLENGE: Listen for God’s whisper — and ask Him to lead you.
