Hope in Hard Times: Depression (Running on Empty)

Intro

Grateful for the opportunity to preach on this. Thankful for Pastor Dave for this sermon series. For too long, there has been a stigma that wrestling with depression and anxiety meant that you were less of a Christian. But would anyone say that of Charles Spurgeon? Known as the prince of preachers. Pastor of the London Metropolitan Tabernacle for 38 years to literally crowds of thousands. Donated nearly every penny he earned to fund 66 parachurch ministries for orphans, women who had been trafficked, widows, policeman. He even founded a seminary. Over 130 years after his death and pastors, theologians, and lay people still pour over his sermons. And yet, he was a man crippled by chronic depression. From age 15 to his death in 1892, he wrestled with what he called the “Giant Despair.”

In 1 Kings 19, we come upon another great man of the faith. Someone who had preached to thousands and been mightily used by the hand of God, the prophet Elijah. Here, we find him in one of his darkest, if not the darkest moment in his ministry and life. A moment in which he cries out to God, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life.” A moment that I know resonates with many of us in this room. Maybe you haven’t pleaded for God to take your life, but you know that place in your soul.

4 key facts that I want you to hear this morning:

Depression is real and affects everyone at some point in their life. (David, Jonah, Moses, Paul)

God is not embarrassed or ashamed of our depression.

Our emotions are signals that we need to pay attention to.

Let God transform your feeling of uselessness to usefulness.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

PRAY

Recap the showdown on Mt. Carmel

Ahab, the worst king in Israel’s history, and his wife Jezebel led the northern kingdom into unprecedented idolatry1. Jezebel had imported prophets and priests of Baal and funded them from the royal treasury1, while these same Baal prophets had consented to murdering God’s prophets2.

God sent Elijah to deliver a critical message and persuade Israel to return to worship1. Elijah wanted a massive audience to witness what would happen, and Ahab, eager for the confrontation, complied with summoning all Israel to Mount Carmel2. 450 prophets of Baal, who had been supported by the state and ate at Jezebel’s table in Samaria, were brought to the mountain.

The stage was thus set: a spiritually compromised kingdom under an idolatrous king, prophets of a false god entrenched in power, and a lone prophet ready to challenge the entire religious establishment before the assembled nation.

The challenge was simple. Each side would build an altar and place an offering up on it and then call upon their god/God to reign down fire upon the offering. Whosever god/God brought the fire would prove to be the true God of Israel.

Baal’s prophets failed. Elijah triumphed for the glory of the Lord.

In the history of the Old Testament, this spiritual victory is iconic. Hall of Fame like the walls of Jericho tumbling down. Elijah should be on top of the world. Like the Super Bowl quarterback, “I’m going to Disney World!”

But let’s see what happens:

Fleeing to the Broom Tree (19:1-8)

Depression doesn’t make sense (v.1-4)

1 Kings 19:1–4 ESV

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 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, and 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 fathers.”

Elijah is depressed. You don’t need a master’s degree to see that. And like many of us who have walked through depression, it came out of no where. Or at least that’s how it feels. By all accounts, Elijah should have been able to rebuff Jezebel’s threat. God had used him to destroy 450 false prophets, withhold the rain for 3 years, be fed by ravens. Elijah had seen the power of God working in his life. Yep, still Elijah gets depressed.

Depression doesn’t make sense, but it does give us a clue that something is out of balance.

Depression is caused by a litany of factors, but most of them you can distill down to spiritual, physical, and mental causes.

Elijah is out of balance

Spiritually - Paying attention more to the word of Jezebel than the Word of God

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (The Causes) He presumably had a letdown after his victory at Carmel. We can relate to this. We are vulnerable after a victory. We need manna every day. We cannot live on yesterday’s victories.

It’s easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking that everyday is supposed to be Mt. Carmel in our walk with Jesus. And when it’s not cupcakes and puppies, that there’s something wrong or God has abandoned us. Isaiah 41:10 “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Physically - Exhausted running and collapses

Up to this point, Elijah had been on the run for 3 years being chased by King Ahab.

The distance from the showdown on Mt. Carmel to Beer-sheba is 120 miles. Roughly a six day journey.

Then he goes another day’s journey into the wilderness. Physical exhaustion will weigh on our emotions. Just ask any newborn parent (Joel newborn story)

But there are a plethora of other physical reasons what might be causing depression in your heart:

Thyroid malfunctioning

Lack of sleep or inconsistent sleep

Hormone imbalance: Postpartum depression is real and very serious

Before you jump to the conclusion your a horrible person with depression, take a breath, take a nap, get a blood test.

Mentally - Isolated himself, by leaving his servant behind. Suicidal

Elijah’s thoughts have been twisted by the depression

1 Kings 19:4 “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 fathers.””

Depression is often a mixture of half-truths that lead to self-righteousness and self-pity

“I am no better than my fathers”

Elijah has lost perspective on how God has used him. Or how God has used his predecessors in the past. One commentator noted:

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (The Causes) Did he previously think he was the best of all time? Sure, he had been a great prophet, but what was he currently doing? He was running away

And it’s these unchecked thoughts, the daily renewing of the mind as Paul exhorts us to do in Romans 12:2 that leads to the darkest part of Elijah’s thoughts: suicide

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (The Course) Elijah was not the first person to despair of life, and he was not the last. Moses told God, “Kill me right now” (Num 11:15). Job wished that he would have never been born (Job 10:18–19). Jeremiah cursed the day of his birth (Jer 20:14). Jonah asked God to take away his life because death was better than life (Jonah 4:3). These men longed for death, but they didn’t actually take their lives. Instead, God sustained and restored them.

Whether you are tempted to leave your family, your job, or this life, please hear this, there is hope! Hear the hope in this story as we see how God deals with Elijah with patient grace and overwhelming love.

God’s response to Elijah (19:5-8)

1 Kings 19:5–8 ESV

And 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. And 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 forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

Physically - He provides food and water.

There are a ton of physical reasons for depression: lack of sleep/exhaustion, thyroid issues, hormone imbalance, lack of exercise, Vitamin D (Weather)

Mentally - He gives a purpose/task

Go to Horeb (Mt. Sinai)

Spiritually - He speaks to him through the angel.

Angel translates as messenger (Hebrew and Greek). Elijah is now listening to God’s messenger over Jezebel’s messenger.

The use of “enough”

Verse 4, Elijah - “It is enough…”

Verse 7, the angel - “the journey is too great.”

It’s the same Hebrew word in both places. God hasn’t abandoned Elijah. He hasn’t stopped listening to him. Because he repeats this word back to him. He hears and sees him. That’s profoundly beautiful and comforting to all of us who have walked through the dark night of depression. God sees you. God hears you. You are not alone.

Moreover, God doesn’t chastise Elijah in this narrative for his depression.

All emotions are given by God. Negative emotions aren’t sinful, but they can lead us to sin.

Jesus emotions:

Exhausted in the boat

Wept at Lazarus’ funeral

Angry in the Temple

Anxiety in the Garden of Gethsemane

Jesus leads us in His humanity in what to do with all of our emotions, negative or positive, bring them to God.

Hebrews 4:15–16 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

So what happens though when depression persists? Let’s see in verse 9 of our passage

Encounter at the Cave (19:9-14)

1 Kings 19:9–14 ESV

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.” And 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?” 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.”

God brings Elijah to Horeb, which is also known as Mt. Sinai. The same Mt. Sinai that the 10 Commandments were given to Israel. God brings Elijah to a holy place.

Yet even in the holy place, Elijah finds a cave to hide in. Much like depression, it’s possible to hide what’s really happening inside you. The cave itself is a great metaphor for depression. Isolating, dark, disorienting.

God invites Elijah out of the cave to experience him, much in the same way Moses did hundreds of years before on the same mountain. But Elijah has a much different response than Moses.

God asks the question twice (What are you doing here, Elijah?). Elijah gives the same response twice (v. 10 and 14).

1 Kings 19:10 “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.””

Even after the wind, fire, earthquake, and whisper, Elijah has not been moved.

Elijah has become so entrenched in his depression that he has become inflexible, almost rigid in his determination that nothing will change. He’s lost perspective on himself. He’s lost perspective on the people around him. Only “he is left”. It’s not true, quite a bit of people repented on Mt. Carmel and as we’ll see in a few verses that God had sustained 7,000 faithful believers. Moreover, it was only Jezebel that was seeking his destruction. Yet, Elijah says “they”. Depression will often exaggerate the issue beyond what it actually is thereby further pulling you away from the truth.

Too often we listen to the lies we tell ourselves instead of talking the truth to ourselves we need to hear:

Elyse Fitzpatrick

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (The Causes) The depressed don’t simply need to feel better. They need a Redeemer who says, “Take heart, my son, my daughter; what you really need has been supplied. Life no longer need be about your goodness, success, righteousness, or failure. I’ve given you something infinitely more valuable than good feelings: your sins are forgiven.

God listens to Elijah and for Elijah that is monumental. When we have a loved one in depression, follow God’s example here. God asked a simple question and Elijah effectively emotionally vomitted. Awesome. No judgement either. Just a loving Father listening to His beloved child.

Amazingly, God is providing His actual presence to Elijah.

We need presence more than platitudes. (Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” )

God’s presence

Our Presence

Rule of Thumb: God gave us 2 eyes, 2 ears, and 1 mouth. Look and listen more than you talk.

God gives Elijah a mission

1 Kings 19:15–18 ESV

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 Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be 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 Elisha put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

God gives Elijah a mission

If anxiety is a frenetic, constant flux experience, then depression is a sinkhole. An emotional weight of immovability. For those of us fighting depression, a renewed sense of purpose can be life-changing. Even it’s the smallest simplest thing. Get out of bed. Call a friend. Drink a cup of coffee.

1 degree change

James Clear (Atomic Habits). Imagine your on a flight from Los Angeles to New York, but at take off the pilot adjusts the heading by just 3.5 degrees south. At takeoff, that’s a simple matter of feet at the runway. But at landing? You’re close to 300 miles off, not in LaGuardia, but at Dulles International in Washington D.C.

A small change in the same direction can have monumental impact. So what does God give Elijah to do for his small steps?

Anoint a pagan King - God has power over all nations

Anoint a new king of Northern Tribe - God has power of Israel

Anoint a new prophet - You need community

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (The Causes) In chapter 19 Elijah leaves his servant behind and departs by himself, not for prayer but for a pity party in which he is the host and the only guest. Ryken notes, “Depression isn’t only caused by the absence of community; it also perpetuates it” (1 Kings, 523). If you are tired and discouraged, isolation isn’t what you need. You need others to encourage you and lift your spirits. We cannot go without human relationships very long. We are made for community.

Hebrews 10:24–25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Gather for Sunday worship, Home Groups, RD Groups.

Action Steps - So What?

Depression is real and affects everyone at some point in their life. (David, Jonah, Moses, Paul)

God is not embarrassed or ashamed of our depression.

Our emotions are signals that we need to pay attention to.

You’re not useless because of depression. Let your depression be useful for the kingdom.

Mt Carmel and Mt. Horeb aren’t the only important mountains in the life of Elijah. There’s one more mountain that God uses his him for:

Mount of Transfiguration

Moses (Law)

Elijah (Prophets)

Both incredibly broken people, both experienced God on Mt. Sinai

Moses - despair, suicidal, and anger (struck the rock)

Elijah - despair, suicidal, wanted to give up

It’s these two broken, but redeemed people that God used to encourage Jesus on the night before His crucifixion. Depression isn’t the end of you or your usefulness in the kingdom of God. Not for Elijah, not for Spurgeon, not for you.

Whether you’re in a season of depression from life or the weight of your sin or you know someone who is. Bring your sadness to God. Let Jesus be your comfort. Let the Good News of Jesus be the ointment to your soul.

Matthew 11:28–30 “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.””