The Crash After Crisis

Introduction

Background: Elijah and Gehazi

Shock

Fear of the future/uncertainty

1 Kings 19:3-

1 Kings 19:3–4 KJV 1900

And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth 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 juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Fear of the future/uncertainty

Isolation

protecting others

protecting image

exhaustion

removing distractions

“It is enough”

Sense of futility - the world is not what I expected, my results are not what I anticipated

Elijah seems to be dealing with symptoms of grief. He has come off a successful time, no one he loves has died, and yet he is mourning. Mourning the world he expected to have, mourning the time of great productivity and energy which could never last. He would probably not have used the terminology, but he traces the steps outlined in the book Good Grief. We are in a state of shock, we express emotion - whether through tears

Response

Prayer

Physical provision - food and a nap

Recognition of insufficiency