Week 3: Lonely

“When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”” (1 Kings 19:13)

“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.”” (1 Kings 19:14)

If there is one state of mind I struggle with most it’s loneliness. In my experience, loneliness is felt even when you are around others. It’s this deep otherness that attacks your joy. It tells you over and over that, “You are the only one.”

Now, sometimes that is true. It was certainly true for Elijah! He was the only prophet of Israel for a long time. How many nights did Elijah sit in the quiet by himself, hurting and unable to go anywhere for fear of his life? It didn’t matter how many miracles he performed, it was still just him.

This is a hard truth even for me, so listen up!

When God appears to Elijah in the midst of his loneliness, God asks,”Why are you here?” In this, God asserts that there is more for Elijah to do. We serve a personal God. He has a purpose only YOU can fill. But, if you keep reading, the connection that Elijah craved was going to come in the midst of his obedience. 
“You are the only one” is a half truth. Always remember that. 

Scars

I planned to kill

myself once.

Not in a figurative way, but in a real wrist-cutting way. I felt the most alone I ever have before. I felt like nothing I could ever do as a son, a friend, or a creative was ever right. I felt like God had left me.

The “angel that stopped Abraham’s knife” (bible nerd reference), was hearing someone say in a church group that they had felt this before. They talked about how they had overcome the urge to hurt themselves. Then, at another meeting someone else told their story. It comforted me to see that this deep loneliness could be defeated. When that voice came again, I showed it that story. I pointed to those wounds!

A lot of us have had to cope 

with being by ourselves,

being the only one who still believes,

being the only one who still shows up,

being the only one who tries to forgive…

But I’m showing you these wounds today so you never forget that it took ONLY ONE  to bring salvation. Next time you hear a voice like that, show it the wounds on his wrists. They testify to resurrection power!