Seek Solitude & Find Comfort

I have a lot of health issues that require tons of doctor appointments. It gets very overwhelming and draining at times to keep it all straight, to douse the worries of everyone around me, and to still feel like keeping up with "regular health" stuff, like going to the dentist, and physicals. Not to mention getting my daughter to them. The calendar is filled with appointments and follow up tests at any given time, and I admit, some days I want to just throw it all in and be done.

As an introvert, I long to be alone a lot as well. I need at least once a week where I have the house to myself for a few hours where I can either veg, clean, ninja attack the toy room without a rejecting 4 year old, binge watch Netflix, or just sleep, depending on how ridiculous the week has been. When I have a week of absolute crazy, and thing after thing, and life is just overwhelming, I find great comfort in that solitude.

When Elijah sat under a broom tree because he was overwhelmed by life, despite the miracle he had just witnessed on Mount Caramel in facing the prophets of the false god, Baal, and learning Jezebel was after him, he was just done with life. He begged God to take his life, in fact, and he fell asleep. Even though it was after a great miracle, that took great faith, in which Elijah had, life was still so overwhelming.


I feel that I am an Elijah. I have walked through life, surrounded by great miracles, yet I fall beneath the broom tree and wish it would all just stop being overwhelming. But then we read that the Lord sent an angel to comfort Elijah, and give him what he needed to keep going. And that is exactly what God does for me again, and again, and again, and again...and will continue doing until He's done with me here on Earth. 

I get overwhelmed a lot. If you know me, you know this is an understatement. But I feel burned when people think I'm shallow in faith, or unintelligent, or when they simply don't care about or see what I actually have to offer. I get incredibly hurt when I feel used, or taken advantage of. The result- unsureness. Overwhelming questioning, of my worth, of my faith, of my purpose in this world. 
However, each and every time, God shows up and gives me what I need to continue this hard and unknown journey. He gives me people to affirm me, His Word to guide me, and little things I notice when driving on a low day that comfort me. 

So for those comforts and affirmations from Him, I am so grateful. I need them as I find myself questioning who I am and whether or not I'm really up on my faith, my "biblical foundation and intelligence" Truth is people, none of us will be until we are Home. Truth is, I am who HE says I am. And that is all the comfort I need to keep going, another day, another night.

Maybe you're experiencing an overwhelming life lately. Maybe you feel questioned, slandered, or like the hardships just won't end. Take comfort from Elijah's story - his very true and very real God story. Sometimes you need to seek solitude to just stop life for a second and take stock. Just like God found Elijah in that overwhelming moment of life where he just wanted to stop, and wanted his life to stop, God sent resources. He knew what Elijah needed and He most definitely knows what you need today and for this day on. Find comfort in your moments of solitude to just remember how God moves. He has greater plans for you yet! 


Scripture to Read:
1 Kings 19:1-18, Matthew 7:7-8

Questions to Ponder:
When have you felt overwhelmed by life? What did you do?
Have you ever felt filled up by God in hard times? What was it like?
What do you do to find solitude?