Daily devotion – When in the valley…
Psa 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
There are times I think that God’s greatest consuming work for so many of us is to encourage us when we are down.
We are creatures of passion and like Peter’s passion for Christ was amazing, Peter also had moments of dismal failure that led to great discouragement.
God has given this amazing capacity to be zealous and dynamic for Him but in the wake of that zeal we often find ourselves falling into valleys of despair.
Elijah the great prophet of God one moment is taking on and defeating hundreds of false prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel with God’s power in a massive demonstration through Elijah, then we find him fleeing into the desert and concluding he is a dismal failure in his own eyes.
1Ki 19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
But God showed Elijah in the wilderness the greatness of the God he served.
When discouragement comes and it will to all of us at some time, let us remember Elijah’s story and know that God will encourage us to go on in our ministry to Him.
1Ki 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
Listen for God’s voice when you find yourself in the valley of despair!