1 Kings 19:1-20

I have to be honest with you…not that I wouldn’t be honest…maybe it’s best to say, I need to be transparent right now. That sounds better. It’s always been my life goal to grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3: 18), but at times I find myself in a lull and my faith motionless. Sometimes I just do not feel like my spiritual life is where it needs to be. My joyous life feels like it’s melting and fading right in front of me and I can’t get a handle on it to stop the momentum. I knew fear and darkness before giving my life to Christ, but now that I belong to Him it should be different…I shouldn’t have these kinds of feelings and experiences…or should I? I would rather be sitting on the beach in Malibu, listening to the resounding surf and watching the clouds go by.

Then I am reminded of James 1:2-3, and I know that it is through those hardships that God is always teaching, always stretching, and always loving us in the midst of our trials. And uncoincidentally, these times of testing always come when I need a good kick in the pants. He needs to shake me to wake me! I picture it as a mountain plateau in my spiritual walk and I’m stuck, not moving up at all. It’s a deep valley and then I see the uphill climb back to God (James 4:6-10). Every time I go through one of these strenuous seasons of life I have, by the grace of God, found myself desiring to be close to Him and eventually climbing back up God’s spiritual mountain. I see how dark it can be without the Lord in my life and it shows me that’s never where I want to be, ever. I am grateful these trying episodes in my life are far and few between and more importantly that they stir me to a greater living faith!

Several years after coming to the Lord, I heard a pastor deliver a dynamic sermon on this very topic. I found it to be the answer I needed that has benefited me all these years. The pastor called what Elijah the prophet was going through as a “dry spell” in life (1 Kings 19:1-14). I had never heard this term, but it definitely clicked and made sense. I thought, this is exactly what I have been experiencing! In all of these crazy seasons, when nothing spiritually seemed to matter, when my faith seemed so shallow that all I felt was emptiness, I now could label it as a “dry spell” and work it to my advantage in the Lord.

Elijah had just won a major victory at Mount Carmel as he confronted head-on the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18:20-40). One of many very important pieces of biblical insight found in this passage, as it moves into chapter 19, is the fact that after a colossal victory in the Lord we need to prepare ourselves spiritually for a major “dry spell” that may come. Let me explain. Right after Elijah’s victory in proving to the false priests that his God was the true living God to be worshiped, Elijah had a “dry spell” experience. Yes, just like the ones you and I go through every blue moon. We want to almost give up and scream; we want to yell out to God and at the same time; we want to run to our place of escape, even if that means away from God. Elijah, the prophet of God, became so despondent to the point he prayed he might die.

Sounds like a pretty heavy “dry spell” coming from a man who just had God work a huge miracle through him. God had demonstrated to Elijah and to all the false priests of Baal and of Asherah, 850 of them to be exact, who was the true God (1 Kings 18:36-39)! By the end of the day all these false prophets of Baal were put to death. This just goes to show you that even the strongest of the Lord’s servants have their dark valley experiences, too. I have heard it said that the account of Elijah, as found in I Kings 19, is a perfect description of a man who was experiencing a total burnout, an emotional, psychological low. Whatever the case, here are some important insights we can reap from this man of God who was just like us (James 5:17a).

1. Be careful to not get too comfortable with your life least we get boastful and forget that our enemy, the Tempter, Satan himself, is always in wait for us, for sin is crouching at your door (Genesis 4:7). Our enemy is waiting for you to take your eyes off God who alone can pull you out of your deepest pits.

2. Be cautious about making any major decisions. This is essential as we usually want big changes to happen when, in our inner most being, nothing is happening. The difficulty is that our judgment and wisdom is usually way out of balance in a “dry spell”.

3. No matter what you feel; get back to your “first love” in Christ! Continue doing your “first works,” those spiritual things you did when you came to the Lord (Revelation 2: 4-5). Keep doing what you know you should be doing in Christ regardless of whether you feel it, or not.

4. Read the Word daily; be praying to the Lord that He increases your desire to get back to him. Don’t stop attending church, don’t stop sharing your faith, and always keep serving. Don’t stop doing any one of these even if it feels empty and unproductive for the moment (Hebrews 10:25).

5. Keep an open ear for God’s Spirit. He is always speaking, but we aren’t always listening. When He speaks to your heart, revival will come!

6. Remind yourself to not let go of God’s hand in times of a “dry spell.” Be confident that God is teaching you a life lesson that you will soon be using right around the corner for His purpose as you “comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians 2: 4).

How is God trying to get your attention right now? The question isn’t what method God is using to shake you up, but do you desire to listen to his gentle voice? Elijah did. He obeyed God, got up, shook himself off and went on another mission for the Lord. I encourage you to follow Elijah’s example. When we do, we find a loving heavenly Father right there for us. God is able to pick us up. He is not willing to let go.

During a “dry spell”, when I have climbed to the top of God’s spiritual mountain, I have always found rejuvenation and an exciting God-given mission for me to begin a new chapter in life. Today, “dry spells” for me are my opportunities to let God teach me a life lesson to use and to be faithful. For Elijah, he was given a new mission that was according to God’s plan for his life. These principles have always sustained and inspired me through those “dry spells” that will surely come and go in varying degrees. He is able to take our emotional and mental pain and relieve us of our burden the instant we listen and obey. Do not be afraid. He is speaking to you right now. Listen for His gentle whisper and His next mission awaiting you (1 Kings 19: 12c).