I Can’t Take It

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers." — 1 Kings 19:4

Have you ever felt the burden of life, home, family, marriage, and work weighing down on you to the point you want to scream —"Enough!"?

Well, you are not alone. All men encounter this moment. I have been there too. But so did this man, a man of the cloth — Elijah. He was discouraged, exhausted, and troubled. Even after sweeping triumphs over the sinister prophets and malicious rulers, he feared and ran for his life as Queen Jezebel was in fast pursuit to put an end to this man. And there in the desert in defeat, he sat down and prayed, and then spoke the words you read above.

So if you feel this way today, don't worry. It's okay. You are free to feel this way and, even more importantly, proclaim to God the weight that is bearing down on you. This may be precisely the right response. Stop holding it in. Stop carrying the load. Stop looking for answers. And start doing this — start giving your heart, your burden, and your need for solutions to God. He has been faithful in the past, and He will be faithful in the future.

DO THIS: Confess your concerns to God.

PRAY THIS: God, thank you for Elijah. Today, I feel in the company of great men. Men who you made great in weakness and defeat, and learned to rely upon you. Lighten my load today.