From Ministry to Misery (and Back Again)

Hope and Help for Leadership Loneliness and Depression

John Fehlen

2The Old Testament sketch of Elijah’s life and ministry reads like a modern day novel,complete with victory and defeat, joy and sorrow, intrigue and suspense. Elijah’s story parallelsthat of the twenty-first century leader/minister in so many ways – full of ups and downs. Thisteaching will explore the biblical text surrounding Elijah the Prophet in order to develop the clear understanding of fatigue, loneliness, and depression being common to those in spiritualleadership. Furthermore, in those desperate times, the spiritual leader can be assured of thesupernatural support of God’s provision, the strength found in His presence, and the availabilityof His people that undoubtedly surround us.

Showdown on Mount Carmel

Much attention is given to the great victory upon Mount Carmel and rightfully so. Therewas much to celebrate. The gauntlet had been laid down by Elijah:

“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

Theshowdown was on. The competition had begun. Altars were erected and offerings prepared. Thegod who answered by fire would be firmly established as the one true God.The prophets of Baal and Asherah proceeded to call upon their gods and received nointervention. As their shouts and prayers rose louder so did the taunting of Elijah. At one pointhe inquisitively asked if their gods were busy, traveling or perhaps “deep in thought”.

Withoutsuccess, the evil prophets concede, begrudgingly allowing Elijah to call upon his God. Whatfollows is without question one of the greatest displays of God Jehovah’s power in the OldTestament. Fire fell upon the sacrifice, the wood, stones, soil and even licked up the water in thetrench. The people all fell prostrate and declared God to be God. Those that were determinedly

1 Kings 18:21. In this passage we read of the people saying nothing. They were dumbstruck.

The phrase “deep in thought” has been humorously translated in The Living Bible as “on thetoilet”, which is a wonderful assertion when teaching youth...and non-religious adults!

3committed to Baal were seized and slaughtered. In the end God was victorious, and the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah were left defeated and/or dead.This miraculous event culminates with the power of the Lord coming upon Elijah givinghim the supernatural capability to run into the town of Jezreel faster than a downhill chariot. Allin all, this was a shining example of ‘kingdom success,’ and a great day to be a servant of theLord and. Understandably, this portion of the text receives a great deal of attention through preaching and teaching, and yet there is a shift in the narrative that is often overlooked. Chapter 19 shows Elijah going from the mountaintop to the valley, literally and emotionally. It is thissection of scripture that is the focus of this teaching.

The Dark-side of Spiritual Leadership

After Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal, eliciting the fury of Jezebel, he wandered intothe desert to the shade of a juniper tree, where he sat down and prayed that he might die. Hesaid, “I have had enough, Lord. Take my life.”

Elijah experienced a full range of negativeemotions following the spiritually ecstatic time on Mount Carmel, including despondency, anger,fear, fatigue, and depression. According to D. Martin Lloyd-Jones a “frequent cause of spiritualdepression is what we may describe as a reaction – a reaction after a great blessing, a reactionafter some unusual and exceptional experience.”

In the King James Version rendering of 1 Kings 19:3,4 one observes Elijah’s reaction:“And when he saw that, he arose, and

went

for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongethto Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s

journey

into the wilderness, andcame and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die.” Acloser look at the original Hebrew wording reveals what perhaps is missed in a number of

1 Kings 19:4

D. Martin Lloyd-Jones,

Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure

(Grand Rapids,Mich.: Eerdmans, 1965), 19.