When The Journey Is Too Much

Some of my favourite parts of the bible are the “in-between” stories. Partially, because, that is where most of us will spend our lives - in-between the defining moments.

One story that I have come back to again and again, is between Elijah’s showdown on Mount Carmel and the Lord appearing to Elijah in the cave.

Elijah was a powerful prophet of God, displaying God’s power like few other people. No biblical character was perfect but Elijah was a holy man. He stood toe to toe with the evil of his day and did not flinch. He asked God to stop the rain and it stopped for three years. He did not taste death. Elijah even appeared at the transfiguration to talk with Jesus.

In 1 Kings 19, Queen Jezebel tells Elijah that she is going to kill him. Elijah then flees for his life, far into exiled territory.

Exhausted, he sits down under a broom tree and says,

“I have had enough, Lord...Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 

(1 Kings 19:4)

And, then, he promptly falls asleep.

An angel comes to Elijah, bakes him bread, gives him water, and then puts him back to sleep. Then the angel wakes him, again, and says these important words: 

“Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” (1 Kings 19:7)

The journey is too much for you. 

Not just the next leg of the journey but the whole journey. You are exhausted and worn out because all of this living in a broken and dying world - is too much for you. You were never meant to do this on your own, you were never meant to live in this world.  You were created for Eden but here we find ourselves.  

The journey is too much for you.

I think we all have felt, at some point in our life, that this journey is too much. Many of us feel it every day. 

There are times when the weight of life is overwhelming, when we cannot bear to pick ourselves up again, when the fatigue from pressing on is more than we can handle. Times when we have despaired of life itself.

We find ourselves ashamed that we feel this way and cannot figure out why how to get it together, like everyone else. 

Our world is no help. Our world tells us that life SHOULD be easy. If you can just find the right hack, the right  the right friends, the right spouse, the right kids, the right job, the right bank account - everything will work out.

Elijah's in-between story tells us that if the journey is too much for us, we are seeing things as they truly are.

The journey is too much for you and I.

In Hebrew, “too much” can also be translated “greater than”.

The journey is greater than you or I.

But, here is the good news - God is greater than the journey.

God knows the journey is too much for us. He created us and knows our limitations. God is not surprised by how difficult it is to keep going. God has more grace for us than we do for ourselves. 

And this is why he does not lecture Elijah or tell him to be more positive. He does not tell Elijah to stop being so dramatic and just pull himself together. He does not scold him for being tired.

Friends, that voice is never the voice of God.

The voice of God sounds like this, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

God shows Elijah unfailing kindness and everlasting love in his most vulnerable and defeated moment. God gently cares for Elijah and draws Elijah’s eyes away from his insufficiency to the source of life itself - Yahweh.

From the hands of an angel Elijah receives sleep, food, and water and encouragement. Both physical care and spiritual nourishment. Yahweh is giving manna in the wilderness again. Living Water and the Bread of Heaven are His good gifts. 

I think it would help us a great deal to stop expecting that life will be easy and reject that lie from our culture. We need to reject the idea that one day we will arrive and will no longer need help from anyone, no one will be sick, no one will be suffering or we won’t be wrestling within.

Instead, we should expect that it will be challenging. But, then, rest in the peace that the hand that cares for us knows no limits. The hand that cares for us is greater than anything we will face.

God invites Elijah, and you and I, to drink deeply from His hand of provision. He invites us to open our eyes to His kindness and lift our eyes to him. God invites us to know that our failure or defeat is not greater than Him.

He is greater than our journey.  

Elijah’s broom tree experience teaches us that the remedy for this difficult journey is not to try harder but to depend on and receive more deeply from the hand of God. The Christian life is a walk towards dependence rather than away from it.

The journey is great but God is greater

May God’s unfailing kindness and everlasting love be yours today. May the “too much” reality of the journey, serve to lift your eyes to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and their infinite resources. May God open your eyes to the kindness he is offering you today. May you know that your God is the one who makes bread in the desert. Your God is greater than the journey.