World Champion Worrier

The last couple of weeks we’ve been looking at the subject of worry. We saw that Jesus taught us to stop worrying and the primary way to stop our worrying is to shift our devotion. When we shift our devotion away from all these things such as family, career, financial stability, etc. to the things that God is devoted to, knowing him and making him known. All these other needs of life we worry about God takes care of.

Can we be devoted to the right things and still be worrying? Yes. I’ve learned over the last several weeks that as a pastor I can be devoting myself to the right things and still not trusting God with the future. Pastors can be some of the biggest worriers out there can’t they. But God wants us to even when we’re devoting ourselves to making Him know to trust Him. Today we’re going to look at a Prophet of God who was trying to do the right thing but in the midst of it stopped trusting God with His future and tried to take control Himself.

The ultimate reason we worry is because we can’t control the future. We’re usually fine today but it is tomorrow we worry about. Controlling people are usually people who can’t trust anyone else, including God with their future. Jesus comes along and says don’t worry about tomorrow trust your heavenly Father about tomorrow. When we hear someone say don’t worry, we start thinking your’re saying “don’t care”. Well, I care about it so I’m going to worry right.


Jesus doesn’t say these things are important but he says the things that you worry about will be the things that you are devoted to. Kids grades. What if we shifted your devotion to something else. And we learned that the bigger your faith the less you will be worried or stressed right.

The temptation is to push back and say that this is just too simplistic. When I worry I feel more responsible and when I don’t worry I feel irresponsible. My thoughts are consumed with tomorrow and if I stop worrying things won’t get done. Is that right? Jesus says to stop worrying and trust God with tomorrow. All you can do is to be in the now and trust God with tomorrow.

Today. We’ll rap up this series with a story. 1 Kings 19: We’re not going to go over the entire story but I’d love for you to read the rest of the story when you go home. But at the end of this story God asks Elijah a great question that God asks all of us at one time or another. This is a great question obviously because it comes from God but it zooms right into our hearts especially for us worriers. And if you struggle with this issue as most of us do this might be a question you could write on a 3x5 card and pin it on your wall or some place you see often.

When the nation of Israel became a kingdom their first king was Saul, then David, Solomon, after Solomon the kingdom split.
Northern kingdom was called Israel and the southern kingdom was called Judah. The northern kingdom’s king was Ahab at this time. Ahab was a wicked king and had lead Israel way away from God. Lead them into worshipping all kinds of bad things like Baal. Because of this God sent a messenger Elijah with some voice of reason to come and warn them.

Have you ever had a voice of reason come into your life? A message you felt, this must be from God? We may not always embrace the message but God is often speaking to us today just like he spoke to Ahab back in the day.

Elijah said that God wasn’t too happy with how things were going so God is going to turn off the rain. Months went by all the sudden without any rain.

Meanwhile God tells Elijah you’re going to have to hide out for 3 years because everyone is going to be ticked off at you. God provided for Elijah while this drought was going on. Elijah goes back on God’s request and says God has a lesson for you if you’re ready to listen to it. If so, God will let it rain again.

God knows when we are ready to listen and knows when we’re not ready to listen and He will wait us out won’t he. Even if it takes a life time. Why? Because He loves us. And often God uses difficult circumstances to try and get our attention doesn’t he. If you’re going through a trying time, if you’ve been in a difficult season for many years. Stop and think about what God may be trying to teach you. God’s primary purpose for us is to change us to be more like Jesus so that we can be used for His purposes and His glory. But some of us have been stuck in the same rut for so long, but God will keep trying.

So apparently Ahab seemed ready to hear the message so Elijah tells him to bring your Baal God to this mountain and we’re going to see which of these God’s are going to make it rain. Ahab says fine. They met on top of Mt. Carmel. Over 400 prophets of Baal are there and thousands of people from all around have heard of this competition and come to watch.

So they build their alters and get to work with the sacrifices. Elijah rebuilt an old alter that used to be used (in disrepair). So the next morning the Baal side starts to make their sacrifices, they dance around, they scream they yell, they cut themselves all the while Elijah is sitting there watching this and he begins to make fun of them in some pretty politically incorrect ways.

But Elijah starts to very vocally mock them and their God. Pretty politically incorrect isn’t it. While they’re dancing around, singing and shouting and cutting themselves, Elijah says, shout louder, perhaps Baal is traveling, maybe he is sleeping, maybe …he really makes fun of them. This goes on into the evening and no rain.

Now it’s Elijah’s turn. He says before I’m going to pray I’ll drench my alter to show that it’s not a trick. He prays and God lit up that alter. The people get furious at these Baal prophets for misleading them and they slaughter them all.

Now Elijah goes to Ahab and says you better run back to the city because before you get there its going to rain.

Now Elijah is like a rock star. He has the ear of God.

In the mean time Ahab goes back home and has a talk with Jezebel his wife. Does anyone know whose wife Ahab was?

She’s about as wicked as it comes and this is where the story really begins. All that was just a ramp up for this story so let’s jump into the text.

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."

Elijah here’s the deal you’re going to be as dead as all the prophets. Jezebel is one of the most powerful people in all of the nation. Elijah should have been full of confidence because God has just done some amazing things through him, but look at verse 3.

3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life.

he runs for his life. He was afraid of tomorrow. He was okay with today but totally afraid for tomorrow.

I think if we could see all the things God has done for us in the past and the things we struggle with now we’d probably all be confused about why don’t you just trust God. Just like we’re thinking with Elijah.

Stones of remembrance. We need to remember past faithfulness so that we can be reminded over and over that God is in control, he knows whats best, and we are supposed to just trust him.
When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. Does this remind you of another prophet of God’s who went under a tree to die? Jonah did the same thing. Not sure what it is about sitting under a tree to feel sorry for yourself.

All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
Strengthened by that food he travels for 40 days and nights to Horeb. This is where the burning bush was and this is where the Ten Commandments were. This is where the Israelites thought that God hung out. So he travels there to die and to be close to God. Goes into a cave.

v.9 And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

You are miles and miles away from where I had you. Suddenly tomorrow seems threatening and you ran away? Elijah what are you doing here? I love this question because I have a feeling some of us have done some running haven’t we? I know I have at times in my life just run away mentally and emotionally.

Some of us have run mentally because we’re so stressed out and worried about tomorrow.
Emotionally they just aren’t there. The passion of life is just gone.
Some of us have physically run away.
Some of us have checked out of the relationships.
You are in a place you have no business being. You would have never imagined yourself there in a hundred years but you’ve drifted so far from where God would have you.

Why have you allowed a future you can’t control take you away from me? What are you doing here? Why did you run? Why have you allowed the uncertainty of tomorrow to take you into a cave? You’re physically there but emotionally you are so distant. You’re physically here but so detached from all emotions.

V10..Elijah want to give God some information. We love to do this too. But God, you know my children, etc. Let me explain my circumstances to you God. Not sure if you realize what’s going on.

10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

He reviews what has happened. They’re trying to kill me. You expect me to stay there under threat of death? Do you know what’s going on around me?

11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."

Wonder what was going on in Elijah’s mind. How is that going to help my situation God? Wow, you’re going to pass by and they’re just going to stop chasing me?

Elijah stayed in the cave and didn’t obey…so God sent him some loving reminders that he’s not going to stop pursuing him.

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

What in the world are you doing here? Elijah was so far from God’s plan and purposes at this point. He allowed worry and control for tomorrow to take him away.

14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

v.14 I have been very zealous for blah blah blah….same speech, they are trying to kill me too. As he’s saying all this he starts to think about what God is trying to get across to him and it starts to hit him.

Has God been trying to speak to you lately? Has he been trying to say some things to you?

Are you so wrapped up in the things of this world God’s asking you “what are you doing here?”
Is your devotion so concentrated on making sure your kids are going in the right direction, so wrapped up in figuring out where you’re going to spend your next vacation, so into your career and making sure you’re savings account is where it should be?

God says to all of us, “what are you doing here?” Your life is wrapped up in things I never intended you to get wrapped up in. Shift your devotion to the things that are important to me, knowing me and making me known.

Let’s see what happened as a result of Elijah’s running.

15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

v.15 alright, go back the way came and go to the dessert of damascas and anoint this new guy as king. They already have a king. Also anoint this other guy as king of Israel. Also appoint a new prophet.

So God has a purpose and plan. Hmm…God is in control and He is doing his work.

v.17 Elijah you think you’re the only one left but you’re not. You don’t know what’s really going on in this plan.

God has some great things and ways he wants to use your life for His glory but as long as we keep worrying, we keep trying to control our futures we keep going for what is the safe route for us God can’t use you. We’re fearful of the future just like Elijah and the danger is that eventually God will just use someone else.

God’s work and God’s plan will get done with or without you just like with Elijah. Elijah could have continued to be a part of His plans but he refused to trust God so he was replaced.

So when I start to worry and fret about how this ministry is going to come together…oh, God is in control, I can only take care of my responsibilities today, there’s nothing I can do about tomorrow. Oh and when I worry about these things too much I’m a real grouch with Ashley because I’m not living in the moment but worried about the future. I’m burdened down so I can’t really relate with others the way I should be.

Your worry and stress hasn’t added a thing to your life but it has taken away many great things, like your relationships, your joy, your peace, your abundant life.

If you have allowed your worry to drive you to do all kinds of stupid things, to drive you away from your relationships, away from good business practices, away from…

God is still in control and still has a purpose and plan for your life despite all the detours you’ve been on. Not only has worry not helped solve anything but its gotten you and your family far off the trail. Today’s worries can blank out past God’s faithfulness.

We’re simply to do what we know we should be doing today and not worry about tomorrow. Devote yourself to the things that are important to God, not important to yourself. God I’m going to do all I can today and trust you with tomorrow. I’m going to walk into tomorrow with confidence.

Your other option is to worry. Build things up in your mind and trust yourself and you’ll keep running, you’ll keep living in your own strength.

Let me ask you. Have you gone some places you shouldn’t have gone. If so, you need to go back. Some of you have to make things right with your relationships. Some of you need to apologize to those closest to you. Some of you need to go back in your mind and remember what God was calling you to. Some of you need to break some bad habits you’ve developed during these stressful times. You need to get some help to break those habits.

You do what you can do today and then trust me with tomorrow. If God really cares for you He will take care of you.

My prayer is that during these stressful times we would respond in a totally radically different way and our light would shine so brightly in the darkness that many people will be drawn to the Father.