Highs and lows

Yesterday morning I was so happy.  My co-teachers are great, my school is lovely, and my host family is super nice.  But by yesterday evening, I was in tears.  I didn’t understand anything, I had already made so many mistakes, people kept staring at me, and I felt so alone.  Everything was just so darn hard - the thought of living a year like this filled me with fear.  

I wonder if the prophet Elijah felt similarly after he defeated the prophets of Baal.  Imagine it: he had just witnessed God's might defeat hundreds of his enemies, and then the next day he was fleeing in fear because of the threat of a woman.  

What was going through his mind as he fled?  Did he remember the mighty works that his God had done?  Or did he forget about the Lord, and put his faith in himself?  More importantly, I find myself wondering what was going through God's mind.  Was He disappointed that Elijah did not trust Him more?  Was He expecting it?  

Even though we don't know what God was thinking, we DO know what He did.  He gave him rest, and nourishment, and encouragement.  He provided for Elijah's needs, and encouraged him in his unbelief, and then sent him to continue on the path that the Lord had sent him on.  

High points and low points are a part of life.  And sometimes the tide can change incredibly quickly.  So when you're down in the valley, just remember that even there, God can and will take care of you.

1 Kings 19:1-9

¹ Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

 ³ Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
   All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
 ⁷ The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹ There he went into a cave and spent the night.