Faith Friday: A Snack & A Nap

1 Kings 19:1-8

Wisdom from God's Word as we head into the weekend

There are seasons in all of our lives when it all just feels like too much. Suddenly we find ourselves wanting to run and put our heads under the covers, or just run away entirely. God's Word gives us some encouragement for those moments, and part of the solution might be more simple than you'd expect.

The prophet Elijah is one of my favorite Old Testament characters. He was bold and courageous. He stood up to corruption and called out wicked leaders. He persevered despite extraordinary circumstances, and he spoke truth into hard circumstances. He was all that, but he wasn't just those things. He was a deeply feeling individual who knew suffering and fear. If he lived today, we might say he has depression or anxiety. He was fearful, and at times, he ran away. He self-isolated and then complained that he didn't have a community. He told other people to be bold and brave but then crumbled under his intense emotions. In other words, he was as human as you and I. 

There is a short story about Elijah in 1 Kings 19:1-8 that always captures my attention. This passage comes right after Elijah has called down fire from heaven to defeat the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel. It was, by any account, a staggering victory for both God and the prophet. However, rather than soak in the victory and worship God, who had moved with such power among the people, Elijah made a run for it. 

1 Kings 19:1-8

When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including how he had killed all the prophets of Baal.  So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: "May the gods strike me and even kill me if, by this time tomorrow, I have not killed you just as you killed them."

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.  Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died."

Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, "Get up and eat!" 6 He looked around, and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.

Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, "Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you."

So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. (1 Kings 19:1-8)

I love God's tenderness towards the prophet. Elijah was the man of the hour, and probably all of Israel was looking to him to tell them what to do next. The weight of responsibility, the expectation of others, the very real threat of harm, and the physical, emotional, and spiritual expenditure at Mt. Carmel left him utterly depleted. No wonder he wanted to run away!

What strikes me, though, is the way that God responds to Elijah. He doesn't tell him to pick himself up by his bootstraps, charge the mountain, write a book, go on a publicity tour, or immediately engage in the next war campaign. When Elijah experienced fatigue like he had never known, he was met not by a demanding God but by a compassionate One. "Get up and eat!"

God sent Elijah a snack and told him to take a nap—not once but twice. Instead of instructions, he received sustenance. Instead of a beat-down, he got bread. God met his physical needs with tenderness and compassion. He allowed him the dignity of being human and didn't shame him for being weak. Alone and afraid, Elijah experienced a compassionate God who meets us where we are and points us back to Himself. 

So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. (verse 8)

Once his physical needs were met, Elijah was better positioned to move toward God for help and healing. He had enough strength to go to the mountain of God.  That small act of compassion was the fuel Elijah needed to live to fight another day. 

Stress and overwhelm can knock even the strongest of people to their knees. When we finally reach our breaking point, it's easy to collapse into despair and neglect even the smallest acts that nourish and sustain.  It's ok to need a snack and a nap. It's ok to recognize when your body, mind, and Spirit have been neglected far too long and to commit to doing something about it. Sometimes, what we need isn't a Bible Study or a community group. Sometimes, we need to step back and attend to our basic needs, like feeding and resting our bodies. It doesn't make us weak— it makes us human.

There are times, honestly, when it's all too much—too much stimulation, too much fear, too much grief, too much despair. But we live in a Christian culture that sometimes tells us to push forward in faith and human effort as if we are limitless beings on a never-ending mission. We're not. We never were. 

When overwhelm sets in, the most compassionate thing we can do is care for our bodies, accept our limits, and give ourselves permission to have needs. Sometimes, the best medicine is a snack, a nap, and then spending time on God's mountain in worship and prayer. 

What would it say if your body could audibly speak to you today? Have you neglected yourself in service to something or someone else? Have you reached your limit physically, emotionally, or spiritually? What do you need? What prevents you from accepting it? What would it look like to hit the pause button on some parts of your life in order to give your body the attention it needs? Take some time to think through your answers, and maybe invite someone you trust to think it out loud with you. Then, take the first step to give yourself what you need. 

When I'm depleted, I feel defeated. It's just as simple as that. Those hard seasons demand that I give myself permission to get some extra sleep, take the time to feed my body real, nourishing food, and create space to meet with God. When I press into those needs, I experience God's healing presence, and when I neglect them, I suffer needlessly trying to do it all on my own. 

God isn't mad at us for being human. He created us, and He knows that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). Besides, He wants our hearts far more than He wants our hustle. He created us to need rest and even gave the Sabbath to people as a way to recognize and respect our humanity and trust in His providence and care. Give yourself permission to attend to your whole self—body, mind, and Spirit, as you trust Him to care for you. 

Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  John 6:35

-Kimberly Texidor, M.Div., LPC-A

The Zoe Center