It’s too much, Lord. I can’t take any more.

Those bleak words unleashed a cascade of tears. Alone in my room, the disappointments from the day continued to replay in my mind. Over and over I saw them: the health goal I failed to meet; the promising project that stalled; the hurtful words spoken by a loved one. Any one of them would have dampened my spirit, but the combination left me feeling defeated.

Ironically, these disappointments came on the heels of recent victories. How is it we often fall into discouragement after experiencing some success?

A story in the Old Testament comes to mind. In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah says these words:

“I have had enough, Lord,” he [Elijah] said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:4 NIV)

His words bear an eerie similarity to my own. And just like me, Elijah said them after he experienced a victory. 

In 1 Kings 18, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to prepare a bull for a burnt offering and to call on their god to light the fire. Elijah would do the same, but would call on the Lord. The god who responded by burning the sacrifice would be recognized as the true god. The prophets called on Baal, but he failed to light the fire. When Elijah called on the Lord, He brought down fire and completely consumed the offering. The Israelites who saw the demonstration recognized and worshiped the one true Lord. Elijah then killed all the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40).

When the King’s wife, Jezebel, heard what had happened, she threatened to kill Eijah (1 Kings 19:1-2). After receiving this threat, Elijah fled and told the Lord he had had enough and wanted to die (1 Kings 19:3-4). From Elijah’s story, I can begin to understand how discouragement often follows victories.

Focusing our energy toward the goal leaves us physically exhausted. When we push toward our goals, it’s easy to ignore our need for rest, sleep, and good nutrition.

False security leaves us unprotected. Victories can lull us into feeling powerful, and we can unknowingly stop depending on the Lord. 

Unrealistic expectations leave us vulnerable. Once we achieve success, it’s easy to expect smooth sailing, at least for a little while. So when a new challenge immediately appears on the horizon, we feel blindsided and unprepared. 

Fortunately, Elijah didn’t stay in his distressed state. I love the way the Lord attended to him:

He gave Elijah the time and resources to rest, eat, and recover. Two times an angel of the Lord came to Elijah, gave him food, and encouraged him to rest (1 Kings 19:5-8).

He drew Elijah close. God revealed Himself to Elijah through a gentle whisper. He then led Elijah into a time of reflection, allowing him to share his raw, unfiltered emotions (1 Kings 19:9-14). 

He instructed Elijah to face his challenges. The Lord didn’t allow Elijah to rest indefinitely. He sent Elijah back and gave him new assignments to complete (1 Kings 19:15-18). 

To pull out of my funk, I followed the same steps. I made sure to get a good night’s rest. The next morning I sat with the Lord and shared all my feelings. I let the truths of His Word sink into my heart. Then I made a plan to address each of the three situations which had caused me angst.

Wherever the road leads us next, we will experience victories mixed with challenges. In all circumstances I pray we put our trust in the One who gently cares for our needs.