Feelin’ Flat

Feelin’ Flat

I’m feeling flat today. You read that correctly, I said “flat”. F – L – A – T. No, not fat . . . FLAT, the result of fizzled joy.

Could be an accumulation of things slowly building over time that have led to this present state. Banging my shin on the foot of the bed at 4 a.m. (Ouch!), unable to fall back to sleep, I have had oodles of time to think about this flatness. Lying in bed, holding my throbbing shin, joy was the last thing on my mind. Like a forty-one car pile-up, the joy crushers came crashing down on me:

• sick spouse
• trying to conceive
• new country/no new friends
• job hunting

Admittedly, I am tired, and circumstances always look worse than they really are when one is fatigued. My mother always tells me, “Things will look better in the morning.” Meaning, get some sleep. The rest will do you good. Something must happen when we sleep because it’s true. Things always do look better in the morning.

Similar counsel was given to Elijah after his great victory against the prophets of Baal. Though he just witnessed God prove Himself in a mighty way, Elijah feared Queen Jezebel. He runs away into the wilderness, finds a juniper tree, sits down and hopes to die. God finds him and sends an angel to minister to him.

“And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” [I Kings 19:5-8]

There is a particular phrase in that passage of Scripture that gives me great comfort, “Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.” When joy has fizzled and has been flattened like a pancake by the cares of this world, don’t run off and find a juniper tree to sit under. Draw close to the Lord. Sit under the shadow of His wings. Allow Him to minister unto you. I like to think of it this way:

Arise = Praise & Pray
Eat = Read the Bible

How quickly our joy turns to Jello when we are encumbered by so many cares and concerns. Fulfilling joy is not found in:

• healthy spouse
• house full of children
• friends
• job

True, satisfying joy is only found in Jesus. Without Him all else is so very empty. My cup of joy needs refilling. I’m taking it to Jesus today. Perhaps, your cup is empty, too. Come with me…we can go together with out empty cups to Jesus. He loves us so!

Fill My Cup, Lord
by Richard Blanshard

Like the women at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy:
And then I heard my Saviour speaking:
“Draw from my well that never shall run dry”.

Chorus
Fill my cup, Lord,
I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting in my soul;
Bread of Heaven, Feed me till I want no more
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

There are millions in this world who are craving
The pleasures earthly things afford;
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

Chorus
Fill my cup, Lord,
I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting in my soul;
Bread of Heaven, Feed me till I want no more
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!