A visiting preacher, Bro. Keith Allison "dovetailed" a message this morning from a series preached during our October Camp Meeting. The title was "A Servant's Confusion." One point seemed to rise above the others; "You can be discouraged and not confused. But you can not be confused and not be discouraged." This message was taken from I Kings 19.
The prophet, Elijah, had come to a point, after many wondrous miracles and acts by the Lord on his behalf, where he wanted to die. He thought God had forgotten him and there was no one else left who felt as alone as he did regarding the things of God.
We know this isn't so because the Lord told him, "...I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal,..." (I Kin 19.18) And there are times when the Lord speaks "in a still small voice," (I Kin 19.12) rather than thundering's and earthquakes.
The prophet had been brought to this low point of discouragement because he was confused. He didn't trust that God knows what He's doing, even if we do not. It confounds the mind when circumstances or expectations don't go as planned. Often, the flesh gets puffed up when things are going well and the Lord seems to be answering prayer after prayer. Somehow, a believer is inclined to think its because "we" have orchestrated the good outcome.
Sadly, this is when the Lord reminds us, it's all of Him, by Him and for His glory if things don't go as planned in our view.
I don't feel I'm explaining this very well but I will try to get the message on the church website and you may listen to it there. In any case, let this blogger close by saying a visitor stood up at the end of this message during the Pastor's closing remarks and said, "that was for me, I thought God had forgotten me." What a blessing to hear a weary saint thank the Lord for the encouragement.
God bless you is my prayer.
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