In I Kings 17, Elijah the prophet tells Ahab that there will be a famine in the land and that it won’t rain again until Elijah says so. Immediately following his proclamation, the Lord sends Elijah into hiding in the Kerith Ravine. There the Lord sends ravens to feed him and has Elijah camp by a brook where he can drink water. When the brook drys up, the Lord sends Elijah to the house of the widow in Zerapeth.
Perhaps you feel as if you’re in a spiritual dry place, like there is a famine in your soul. You believe in God and trust him, but there is nothing–you sense nothing. You worry that you won’t be provided for, that your soul and your life will wither. All your attempts to help yourself have been in vain. You are exasperated. You fear that you’ll fall into despair.
Tonight, it is close to 12:30 a.m. as I write, I want to encourage you to cease striving. Do the next thing in front of you. If you can read Scripture wonderful, but if you cannot even do that, if you cannot even pray–allow God to minister to you as he did to Elijah. He will feed you through friends, speak to you through creation, and in many and often unforeseen ways, he will provide for you. He will meet your needs.
Elijah didn’t really do anything in the Kerith Ravine. He just rested. And that is what you need to do right now. Cease striving. Perhaps the most godly thing you could do right now for yourself and those around you is get rest. Take naps.
If your life and circumstance allow, participate in holy leisure. Allow God himself to minister to you.