What Elijah Teaches Us About Mental Health
It's beautiful to see how tenderly God cared for the prophet Elijah during one of the darkest moments of his life. Elijah was totally depleted by the stress of fleeing from his oppressors Ahab and Jezebel and had become undernourished and dehydrated. Overwhelmed by exhaustion and despair, Elijah asked God to take his life. God did not scold Elijah for his expression of hopelessness, but instead sent an angel to minister to his physical needs. For those struggling with scrupulosity OCD or recovering from spiritual abuse, it can become difficult to imagine God as anything other than harsh and condemning. But this passage reveals a God who shows kindness and compassion toward those who are anxious, traumatized or depressed.
"Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord,' he said. 'Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.' Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, 'Get up and eat.' He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, 'Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.' So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God." 1 Kings 19:3-8
One Thing to Remember
Before Elijah continued his journey, God gave him sleep, food, water, and gentle care. That doesn't mean every struggle with anxiety or depression can be solved by meeting physical needs. It does remind us, however, that God has compassion for our human struggles. If your faith has become tangled with fear or despair, remember this: the God who tenderly cared for Elijah is the same God who loves and cares for you.