Failing Faith 2 – Blessed

Intro/Last Week

• Finding Faith book
• Author came to realize his faith was based on comfort and control
• God is not a tool to be used, but a giver of grace to be trusted

Message 2 – Blessed (ch.3)

• All too often we think about blessings as goodies
• We know from Jesus’ Beatitudes that blessings help us live joyful lives in the face of adversity because God is with us

Read 1 Kings 19:9b-15, 18 (NLT) | [Elijah] came to a cave, where he spent the night…the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰ Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” ¹¹ “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁴ He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” ¹⁵ Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. ¹⁸ …I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

Sometimes our circumstances tempt us to quit

• Elijah was on the run and wanted God to end it all
  • Elijah witnessed God do miracles
  • Jezebel wanted Elijah dead

God does not always operate in the realm of the spectacular

• God ministered to Elijah to help him recover
  • God provided time and space to rest and recover his emotional strength God provided food to help Elijah recover his physical strength God whispered to help Elijah recover his spiritual strength
  • Note: proximity

Don’t believe the lie that you must face your problems alone

• Elijah feared no one else cared about God, but the Lord told him there were 7,000 waiting to be led
  • We do not have to face our problems alone.

Reflection Questions

1. When do you seem to misunderstand the nature of God’s blessing?
2. Are you tempted to give up when the going gets tough? What can you learn from the ministry of Elijah and God’s ministering to Elijah?
3. What are three of the ways God ministered to Elijah to help him recover? How have you experienced similar recovery from the crises you face?
4. We often think God only works in the spectacular. Sometimes God prefers to work in the ordinary to do something extraordinary. When have you witnessed this in your own life? What do we tend to miss if we’re only seeking the spectacular?
5. The devil wants to try and deceive you into thinking you’re all alone. It seems to be working right now as loneliness is an epidemic. How has God shown up and shown out for you? Who has God brought alongside you to prove you are not alone? To whom might God want to lead you alongside now?