The following devotional so accurately describes the vision of Care for Pastors:
Discouragement (I Kings 19:24)
By Henry Blackaby
Kingdom work can be challenging! You can give everything you have to God’s service and come away exhausted. This is what happened to Elijah. God had just used Elijah to call down fire from heaven in a spectacular display of Divine power. But Elijah’s exhilaration was soon replaced by strenuous work followed by death threats, causing him to flee for his life. Now he was alone, exhausted and discouraged.
Again God came to Elijah. This time not in fire or in a loud spectacular way, but in a still small voice. God’s servant was tired and God brought him comfort. Elijah’s focus had shifted from God to God’s enemies. He had allowed his circumstances to overwhelm him leaving him disoriented to God and felling alone. So God encouraged him. God provided Elisha for him as a helper, friend and companion.
God removed Elijah from activity for a time, so that he could rest and spend time with God. When the nation next saw Elijah he was rejuvenated and refocused on God and his assignment.
If you are overwhelmed by Kingdom work so that your focus is no longer on God but on all that there is to do, let Him comfort you. Listen to His gentle voice. He will encourage you and provide exactly what you need to prepare you for what comes next. If He needs to remove you from your work for a time, He will. He may place a friend or co-laborer beside you to help carry the load. God knows exactly how to encourage you. Let Him do so!
If you are a Pastor or a Pastor’s wife and we can help carry the load, please don’t hesitate to call us at 352-728-8179 or e-mail us at ron@careforpastors.org. If you know a pastor that needs some help carrying the load, please pass on to him our information www.careforpastors.org and encourage him to allow us to help.
