Should we just give up?

You know what it’s like to face discouragement: Church is too small, too far away, too weak. Work is stalled, difficult, unsatisfying. Your marriage has struggles, arguments, hiccoughs.

Last Sunday we heard that the feeling of “running out” is normal for the Christian life.

But despite God’s grace, living on the edge can drive us to despair.

So I don’t need to tell you what it’s like to want to give up. You know that feeling: We’ve all felt like we want to give up… on your career, your marriage, your kids,… on pregnancy, on fighting sin, on Jesus.

It’s the 870s BC, and the kingdom of North Israel has given up on God.

Elijah, God’s prophet, has been sent outside the borders of God’s people to pastor a church of 3 people: Himself, a widow and her son.

A) But living life on the edge drains your emotional resources

For months, probably years, they were living day to day on the edge, with no security but God’s Word.

A morsel of flour, a drop of oil… …a jar and a jug always on the edge of empty, but never quite running out.

That’s where we left last week at v. 16:

The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.

God made promises, and God’s Word achieved those promises. The jar and jug never ran out. But, maybe, Elijah and the widow are starting to run out.

And I bet there’s some area of your life where you feel the same… …God promises to provide — and He has been: the food’s on the table, the money’s in the bank nothing’s run out yet… — but you feel maybe you might.

A) Living life on the edge drains your emotional resources

and so B) Looking at your circumstances can lead to despair

And the widow’s circumstances are really tough, look at v. 17:

¹⁷ After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.

You’re just holding on… just about keeping going… …one day at a time. And then — boom — a fresh surprise. A new discouragement. So far, the jars haven’t run out — but the people have.

This news drags the widow’s eyes away from God’s Word… …and so she wallows in doubt over God’s goodness, vv. 18-19:

¹⁸ And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” ¹⁹ And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed.

Her theology collapses as fast as her circumstances… …so she blames God’s messenger.

When things go wrong, and we take our eyes off God’s promises… …our minds turn dark against God. “He is not in a good mood with me!” “He hated me all along!” “You see… this… this situation proves it!”

This distrust of God’s motive is automatic… …it’s a reflex we all have. Not even Elijah himself is safe, v. 20:

²⁰ And he cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?”

Elijah wants to give up. It’s not wrong that some things come to an end. It’s not wrong to sometimes make a change.

But, Elijah has taken his eyes off God’s promises… …he’s doubting God’s goodness to him; …he’s looking away from God’s Word.

As Paul wrote to the Romans in 8:6:

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

You and I are just like Elijah. All of us are tempted to look at our circumstances. To take our eyes off God’s promises.

But the Spirit hasn’t taken his eyes of Elijah.

With no earthly hope left, the Spirit presses God’s promises into him… and so in faith Elijah throws himself before God in prayer, v. 21:

²¹ Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, let this child’s life come into him again.”

B) Looking at your circumstances can lead to despair

When faith turns inward or stares at our circumstances, it cannot survive. Because faith lives only by the Word of God. Not even a prophet like Elijah is immune to this.

But, the Spirit holds on to Elijah, and so, with no earthly reason to hope… …he throws himself on God’s mercy and kindness, …and waits.

So look at what God says next:

C) God’s Word does the impossible

At least seven times in the Gospels, Jesus promises that God loves you… and so “whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.”

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and God also loved him, v. 22:

²² And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.

God cares about you. God loves you. You matter to Him. He’s in a good mood with you. You see that NOT when you look at your circumstances, but when you look at Jesus:

In Luke 7:13, Jesus sees another widow, weeping over her dead son, and what does Luke record?

the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

God cares about you and He knows what He’s doing. His Word has the power to transform death to life, v. 23:

²³ And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.”

Whatever your circumstances are. Whatever jar and jug you’re eating from that are always on the edge of running out: God knows. God sees. God cares.

And God’s Word has power. Strength. Might. Not strength you can see with your eyes. But a real strength. An actual strength. A power to turn death to life.

And God’s Word transforms death to life every day, look at the spirit this woman receives, v. 24:

²⁴ And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”

There are 2.9 million people in Manchester. And a fraction of a fraction of that in this room. What’s the point? Shouldn’t we just give up? What possible hope do we have?

And why not just give up: on your job? on your marriage? on fighting that sin? There seems to be no hope, no earthly reason for joy. Well:

C) God’s Word does the impossible

Should we just give up?

You know what it’s like to face discouragement. So did Elijah. So did the widow. And things got so intense, both of them took their eyes off God’s goodness, and God’s promises.

But, at the darkest moment, when all was lost… …the Spirit lifted Elijah’s eyes to God’s Word …confidence, assurance, that God is positive toward him.

Today, God knows the circumstances of your life… He sees your situation. He knows. He cares. …and that all seeing God is positive toward you.

Look at Him, see His goodness, trust His Word.

Whatever your situation is, I can’t tell you what the future will hold… …but God knows what that future is… …and He cares about you and has your best interests at heart.

You can trust Him. You can rely on Him. He’s got this.

Because, whatever we face in our lives, know that one day we’ll look back and say, with the widow:

the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.