We all have them. Pity Parties. Those parties that we are the only ones invited to. Those parties where the entire discussion centers around how BAD we've got it. IN 1 Kings 19, Elijah, the GREAT man and prophet of God, throws himself a pity party. in part two of this series, I'll give some other observations from Elijah's great pity party.
"Elijah replied, 'I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.'”1 Kings 19:10
IF we want to throw a great pity party, we need to:
- Focus on all we've done and why we deserve better. If we play that game, we're in trouble. First of all, we don't deserve anything good. We're sinners. We fall short of the glory of God. We deserve death: physically and spiritually. Anything we get better than that is because of His grace!
- Focus on myself. Go back and read 1 Kings 19 and you'll find A TON of personal pronouns. Elijah was consumed with a focus on himself and his needs. God sought to get him to take the focus off himself and put it back on God and His mission for him.
- Assume I'm the only one. "I am the only one left...". "Lord, I am the only one faithful; the only one single; the only one who feels this way; the only one who;s lost their job; the only one with a spouse like this; the only one with kids or parents like this..The list goes on and on. The truth? You're not the only one. You never have been Your struggles are common with most of humanity. One of the beauties of healthy community in the church is a culture that can say: "Me, too. I struggle with that." "We have the same issues." "I know how you feel." Suddenly we look around and realize we are not alone in our struggles or our ministry.
I love God's response to Elijah's pity party:
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. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:15–18 (NIV)
God says: "Go back to where you were before you fell into this party. Get busy doing what I've told you to do. Be faithful doing the last thing I told you to do. Start looking around. You're not the only one seeking to be faithful, you know. Trust me. I'm God. I'm at work. I got this. You do your part. I'll do mine!" Pity Party Over!
Did you need to hear this today? I sure did.
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