10月15日
标 题：灰心
经 节：他说：“我为耶和华——万军之神大发热心；因为以色列人背弃了你的约，毁坏了你的坛，用刀杀了你的先知，只剩下我一个人，他们还要寻索我的命。”（列王纪上十九章14节）
事奉神可能是极富挑战性的！你可以奉献所有给神的圣工，却精疲力竭。这就是以利亚的写照。神才刚刚使用以利亚，让他吩咐火从天降，壮观地展现神圣的大能。然而，以利亚愉快的心情很快被死亡的威胁所替代，吓得赶紧逃跑保命。现在，他孤独一人，又累又灰心。
神再次来到以利亚的面前。这一回，祂不是以火、大声响或壮观的形式出现，却是以低沉微小的声音向他说话。神的仆人累了，神安慰他。以利亚由定睛神的身上，转到定睛敌挡神的人身上。他让环境压垮自己，使他不能清楚神的意向，并且觉得好寂寞。所以，神鼓励他。神赐下以利沙作他的助手、朋友和同伴。
神把以利亚挪开事工一阵子，让他能够休息，花些时间单独与神相处。当百姓们再看到以利亚的时候，他已经恢复精神，再次专心致力于神与神的圣工。
如果你正被事工压得喘不过气，以至于不再定睛在神的身上，在埋首一堆待做之事中，要让神安慰你。聆听祂温柔的声音。祂会鼓励你，并且提供你所有的需要，预备你面对未来的挑战。如果祂需要把你由当前的事工挪开，祂会如此行的。祂也可能会安置一位朋友或同工，在你的身边帮助你，同负重担。神知道该如何激励你。让祂如此行在你的身上。
Discouragement
And he said, “I have 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 the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” (1 Kings 19:14)
Kingdom work can be challenging! You can give everything you have to God’s service and come away exhausted. This is what happened to Elijah. God had just used Elijah to call down fire from heaven in a spectacular display of divine power. But Elijah’s exhilaration was soon replaced by strenuous work followed by death threats, causing him to flee for his life. Now he was alone, exhausted, and discouraged.
Again, God came to Elijah. This time, He came not in fire or in a loud, spectacular way, but in a still, small voice. God’s servant was tired, and God brought him comfort. Elijah’s focus had shifted from God to God’s enemies. He had allowed his circumstances to overwhelm him, leaving him disoriented to God and feeling alone. So God encouraged him. God provided Elisha for him as a helper, friend, and companion.
God removed Elijah from the activity for a time, so that he could rest and spend time with God. When the nation next saw Elijah, he was rejuvenated and refocused on God and His assignment.
If you are overwhelmed by kingdom work so that your focus is no longer on God but on all that there is to do, let Him comfort you. Listen to His gentle voice. He will encourage you and provide exactly what you need to prepare you for what comes next. If He needs to remove you from your work for a time, He will. He may place a friend or colaborer beside you to help carry the load. God knows exactly how to encourage you. Let Him do so.
