I was at a place in my life when I needed to rest. I had been facing an intense spiritual battle in the midst of a lot of life changes. I found, that moment, that God gives rest, not just to me, but to the heroes of the faith as well.
When we think of heroes, we usually think of action: a general leading an army into battle, or a super soldier crashing an enemy plane into the ocean.
When I look at the story of the prophet Elijah, I definitely see action. He is known for defeating the prophets of Baal and prophesying a famine.
There is another part of the story though, that is often left out of hero stories. After the heroic moment, Elijah was exhausted. Not only was he exhausted, he was depressed to the point of asking God to take his life. Sometimes faith, and the action it requires, leaves us depleted of energy and desperately in need of rest.
Because of my own periods of rest, I understand very well Elijah’s need for rest and nourishment. And God gave Elijah what he needed. He even sent an angel to bring Elijah heavenly bread. Because of the food and rest God gave him, Elijah was able to travel for forty continuous days and nights.
I believe that God had this part of Elijah’s story recorded so that we would realize that faith doesn’t always mean action. Once in a while, it means rest.
Dear Jesus, Thank you for understanding the need for rest. Help us to come to you when we’re overwhelmed, and to trust you to care for us, like you did for Elijah. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Reflect on this question: How can you embrace God’s gift of rest today?
If you would like further perspectives on the story of Elijah and what it means for us, follow this link: https://www.christiantoday.com/article/3-important-lessons-we-can-learn-from-the-life-of-elijah/100141.htm
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