Read: 1 Kings 18-20
Focus Verse: “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.” (1 Kings 19:7).
Devotion: You’ve probably heard it said that the LORD won’t give you more than you can handle. I’m not so sure that’s true. See the verse in 1 Corinthians 10:13 is more specific and says that the temptation we face will not be more than we can handle, not that everything in life will never be too much for us. What I find to be true is that many times I’ve been faced with more than I can handle, alone. In this passage Elijah has followed God and now he’s being hunted by Jezebel. He’s afraid and ready to cal lit quits. He exclaims this is too much for him to bear. In his weakness and brokenness God tells him to eat because God knows there is even more ahead for Elijah that is more than he can handle. God calls Elijah to anoint 3 others who will help him, 2 kings and 1 successor. See, I don’t think it’s that God gives us too much, I think it’s that when there is too much before us God is there to remind us not to go it alone. There will be times in life when there is too much in front of you, but remember, in God we don’t have to do it alone.
Pray: LORD there have certainly been recent times when I was faced with more than I could handle on my own, but You provided friends and family to help me so that I didn’t have to go it alone. LORD whenever there is too much for me to handle help me remember that I have others around me who can help shoulder the load. Amen.
Additional Scripture: “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Prov. 16:24) Whether it is you or a friend who is in too deep, share kind words with one another, uplift one another, and help one another. We are better
together.