He Is More Than Enough

Ten of the world’s 25 highest grossing movies are of the superhero genre. It’s not difficult to discern their near-universal appeal: with access to instant information, more and more of the world’s brokenness and pain screams at us through our devices. No wonder we’re drawn to watch heroes save the world and set things right over and over again.

But we don’t often consider the toll this heroism takes. Tony Stark (Iron Man) showed signs of PTSD and crippling anxiety. Captain America manifested most of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) signs of depression. Even mighty Thor, after slaying Thanos, spiraled into alcohol abuse and prolonged isolation. Combating evil is dangerous and often thankless work that exposes one to all manner of heartache and loss.

We see something similar happen to the prophet Elijah. His ministry spanned the reign of Ahab, among the worst of a litany of terrible Israelite kings. Ahab and his wife Jezebel continually sought Elijah’s capture, and idolatry in the nation grew so widespread that Elijah thought he was the only one left following and ministering on behalf of God (1 Kings 18:22, 19:10,14).

Elijah also experienced monumental victory. He saw God provide for him and a widow and her son through a prolonged famine (1 Kings 17:8-16). He raised that son from the dead (17:17-22). And perhaps most famously, he saw God vindicate Himself as the true and only God in a confrontation with the prophets of Baal, with all Israel watching (1 Kings 17:20-40).

After all this, however, Elijah withdrew into despair. He felt terribly isolated. He was exhausted. And he felt like a failure.

Perhaps he expected that the signs and wonders God would work through him would lead to a great revival, the people of Israel returning to the Lord in droves and a wicked king experiencing a dramatic change of heart. When nothing of the sort happens in spite of God’s obvious display of power, Elijah says “It is enough.”

The Hebrew word for ‘enough’ literally means much, many, or great. It’s like Elijah is saying, “I can’t take any more running, confrontation, expectation, and defeat when victory seems so present.”

In response, God sustained Elijah with food and water as he lay in his depression, then invited him to Mt. Sinai, where God revealed Himself in a whisper and commissioned him into further work with the assurance that Elijah was actually not alone (1 Kings 19:5-18). And Elijah returned from the mountain and continued his ministry.

When Elijah said “It is enough,” God seemed to respond by saying “I am enough.”

By following God into the broken places of the world, we too will expose ourselves to disheartening pain and potential defeat. We might see mighty acts of God that buoy our faith but seem to have little effect on others. We might expect heart change but only see hardness. We might grow so weary and depressed that we too utter, “It is enough.”

When we do, we can consider Elijah, who didn’t hide his emotion from God and found Him to in fact be more than enough.

Father, thank You that you are more than enough when I find myself in despair, disappointment, or defeat. You sustain Your beloved children. Help me find refreshment in You to continue to do the work to which You’ve called me. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Throughout This Day: When have you felt downcast or depressed in spite of success in ministry or witnessing God do something remarkable? What did you do with those feelings? How does Elijah’s account invite you to respond differently when you find yourself in similar circumstances in the future?