Mensa Otabil - Do You Feel Alone?

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First Kings chapter 19, verse 14: And he said, «I’ve been very zealous for the Lord, God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with a sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.» This is Elijah having a conversation with God. God asked him, «Elijah, what’s going on in your life?» and this is what he tells God.

Elijah is feeling very lonely. Loneliness can be very miserable for some people; they feel lonely off and on. For other people, loneliness is almost a constant reality. The thing about loneliness is that you don’t have to be alone to feel lonely. Sometimes, you can be surrounded by people, by friends who are laughing and sharing, and yet you feel alone and abandoned. Many factors can contribute to this. Sometimes, we feel lonely because we are in a bad place or struggling with something. Other times, we may not have anyone to share our triumphs, stories, and successes with.

So, Elijah is faced with this moment in his life. God has used Elijah to accomplish some extraordinary things. He, as an individual, confronted 450 prophets of Baal in a challenge on Mount Carmel, and he had come through successfully. God answered Elijah’s prayer with fire, and Elijah prayed again, and God answered his prayer with rain. Now, how could someone who had experienced such a triumphant moment in life feel lonely? Why is he so depressed?

Well, before Elijah could enjoy his victory, before he could say, «Hey, what a great time I’ve had!» he heard a message from a woman, Jezebel, the queen of Israel. Jezebel said, «I’m going to make sure that your life will count for nothing. I’m going to kill you; I’m going to destroy you, Elijah.» Elijah was so taken by this that he forgot about all the victories and all the great things God had done for him, and he felt alone. He felt alone basically because he thought that there was nobody with him, that nobody was standing with him, and that nobody cared for him.

Many times, we feel lonely because we think that in our moments of crisis, nobody cares for us. We carry our burdens alone; we carry our pain alone; we carry our difficulties alone; we cry alone. Maybe you are feeling like Elijah-around you, it seems like everything is going well, but inside, you feel as if nothing is working for you. You feel deflated, and nobody shares what is deeply inside you. Perhaps you don’t even know whom to tell your good news to, and you just feel so cut off from everybody. That’s how Elijah feels.

This week, if you feel like that, I pray that you would find comfort in the story of Elijah, that God will strengthen you, that God will surround you with his love and presence, and that you will feel the presence of God so close to you. Although you may not feel human presence, you will know that God cares about you, that God is with you, and that God understands what you’re going through. God hears the cry of your heart; he hears the prayer of your heart. Although there may be no one to cheer you, and you’re hearing so much bad news, God is with you. Jesus promised, saying, «Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.» There is one thing you can always guarantee: that God is always with you; he cares for you.

So, for everyone feeling alone, may the presence of God surround you this morning, in Jesus' name. Let us pray; say with me: Heavenly Father, I know you are with me at all times. Let me sense your presence around me today. In Jesus' name, amen.