Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.  All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water.  He ate and drank and then lay down again.”                                                                                                                                                                            1 Kings 19;5-6

“Sherry, is something wrong with me?” Pinged the inbox message on my phone as we travelled home on the last leg of our Guatemala mission trip.

Possibilities International Guatemala March Break Trip 2017 http://www.iam1ru.com

It was a heartfelt message from one of the young women on the team.  She expressed how her emotions were up and down ever since the moment we left that beautiful country.  She was asking if what she was feeling was ‘normal’.

I let her know that I was feeling the same as her.  Todd and I had just visited with my son and his girlfriend on the way home from the airport and the first thing out of Brandon’s mouth was, “Mom you look so tired!” and boy, was he right!  There truly are legitimate reasons why experiencing weakness after a mountaintop moment is normal.

ELIJAH COMING DOWN FORM THE MOUNTAINTOP MOMENT

This portion of scripture comes from the recounting of Elijah after his triumph over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel where God used Elijah in a most profound way.  Elijah showed the people God’s power when he called down fire on the altar built for God. As the fire burnt up the offering the prophets of Baal were defeated, but right after that Elijah crashes in fear and succumbs to depression.  He was taken out by the after-effects of a mountaintop moment.

Everest Beyond The LimitYears ago I was intrigued by the Discovery TV series Everest:  Beyond The Limit.1  I learned that more people die coming down from Mount Everest than do reaching the peak.

[tweetthis]More people die coming down from Mount Everest than do reaching the peak.[/tweetthis]

There are physical, emotional and spiritual reasons why our bodies respond this way because, God made us body, soul and spirit.

Physically, your body has been releasing adrenaline.  When ‘climbing the mountain’ you need it to keep you going, especially when you’re not getting enough sleep.  By the time you stop, your body is physically drained from the adrenaline rush.  It takes time to recover.  Emotionally, mountaintop experiences cause such rise and falls in serotonin, dopamine and endorphins that your body can be depleted of these resources too.  Add to that when we step out to do something great for God the enemy doesn’t like it and wants to add to the natural effects.

REST, EAT AND DRINK

Elijah needed to refresh his body before his soul and spirit could be restored.  So do you!  Don’t neglect the practical.  Understand why experiencing weakness after a mountaintop moment is normal and follow God’s directions for recuperation: Rest, eat healthy food and drink water to refresh both your body and soul.

PRAYER

Father…I thank You for calling me to do great and exciting things!  Help me to grow in understanding of how You created me to function as body, soul and spirit.  You don’t want me to feed one and neglect another.  Give me wisdom to know when to rest and refresh so I will stay strong in You!  In Jesus Name…Amen

If you think you may be struggling with clinical depression or anxiety, check out my MENTAL HEALTH page for some guidance and links to great resources.

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1                Accessed 2017-03-19
https://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/everest/videos/everest-beyond-the-limit-summit-gridlock/

2                Accessed 2017-03-19
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/news-blog/death-on-mount-everest-the-perils-o-2008-12-10/
https://www.livestrong.com/article/203790-what-happens-during-an-adrenaline-rush/
https://www.drlam.com/articles/adrenal_crash_and_recovery_cycle.asp

blogger prayer

YOU CAN OFTEN FIND ME LINKING UP WITH:
MONDAY Monday MeditationsLaura J. Davis,
TUESDAY
Cheerleaders of Faith #RARaLinkup – Kelly Balarie,
WEDNESDAY
Coffee For Your HeartHolley Gerth, Word Nerd Wednesdays — Liz Giertz
THURSDAY
Heart Encouragement ThursdayCrystal Storms, Chasing Community  Barbara Bradford Ottinger
FRIDAY
Dance With Jesus LinkupSusan B. Mead, Grace and Truth LinkupArabah Joy, Counting My Blessings – Deb Wolf, Fresh Market FridayCrystal Twaddell

Sherry Stahl