Self-care

What we can learn from Elijah

Have you ever gotten to the end of your rope?

Elijah did. 

By the time we get to 1 Kings 19, he had prophesied a drought to King Ahab, visited the widow, and watched the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil never run out. He had prayed and seen her son raised from the dead. 

He had challenged the 450 prophets of Baal and seen God produce fire and burn up his sacrifice, licking up even the 12 barrels of water they’d doused it with. 

He had “extinguished” all those prophets at God’s command. 

He had prayed and seen the end of drought and famine in Samaria. 

It looked like everything was going well for Elijah. God answered his prayers and from the outside, his life looked like a rousing success. But we never know what lies beneath the surface of someone’s Instagram-perfect life. 

Then Ahab’s wife Jezebel came after him and he was done. Had it. Couldn’t do any more. At the end of his rope. 

So Elijah sits down under a juniper tree and says, “It is enough. Now, O Lord, take away my life.”

I. Am. Done. Just kill me. 

If anyone was ever in need of some physical and mental care, it was Elijah at this moment.  It takes a lot of strength to keep up with all that had been happening, even if it did turn out for the good. Elijah was exhausted.

Can you relate?

Sometimes I go through the motions of my life and things seem to be running along smoothly. The husband and cows are happy, the house build is progressing, I’m keeping up with the writing schedule . . . everything is working out well. We’re busy and but it’s a good busy, right?

Here’s what I’ve learned: bodies and minds need a break. God instituted sabbath for a reason, and it wasn’t because he was exhausted from all the work he’d done. It wasn’t for him, it was for us. We need a sabbath because we are not designed or wired to keep going going going without stopping to breathe once in a while. We need to rest our bodies and our minds.

That’s where Elijah was after all he’d done and witnessed and watched God perform. He was physically and mentally spent. He was so “off” he just wanted to die.

But do you know what God provided?

A nap and a snack. Holy self-care. Better than a fancy coffee and a pedicure, God knew Elijah’s physical body and mind needed restoration in order for his courage to return. 

In Psalm 23, David describes how the Shepherd restores the soul of his sheep: “he maketh me to lie down” (rest) “in green pastures” (nutritious food); “he leadeth me beside the still waters” (not coffee loaded with caffeine and sugar). “He restoreth my soul.”

Last week we left home and the farm and the house build and spent time sitting on a sunny beach watching the Gulf waters lap at the shore. The warmth and sunshine and salty air and rhythm of the gentle waves were soothing in a way that little else is for me and I came away refreshed and restored. We spent some time with good friends and laughed and worshiped together.

There was work involved—Ben with his job that never quits and me keeping everybody fed—but the soul rest was exactly what I needed.

Are you done? Can’t take any more? In need of some restoration?

Try a nap and a healthy snack. If you can get away for a few days, do it. Make caring for your physical and mental and spiritual self a priority, however you can do it. Maybe it’s not a trip to the beach. Maybe it’s a drive to the country and a picnic lunch in a quiet place. Do what you can.

It takes work and planning, but don’t let that be the reason you don’t do it. Start small and don’t give up before you even try. And don’t fall for quick fixes that don’t last and don’t bring true soul restoration. Figure out what helps you relax and do that. When the body is suffering, the soul and spirit follow in a downward spiral. 

God knew what Elijah needed was rest and nutritious food. Make them a priority and you, too, can go in the strength of that holy self-care for many days.