Intro: Can we name some heroes of the Bible? (Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, Gideon, Mary, Peter, Paul) Would you describe them as courageous in trusting God?
Many of those in the Bible seem larger than life, but they were also real people just like you and me. Did you know that some of them felt discouraged at times? In today’s lesson we’re going to discuss Bible men and women that faced difficulties and discouragement, and how they got through it with God’s help.
Being discouraged is defined as “having lost confidence or enthusiasm, disheartened.” Have you ever felt discouraged? Do you ever struggle or feel frustrated? Have you ever worried that you couldn’t accomplish something?
In 1 Kings starting in chapter 16, the story begins: Ahab became king of Israel about a hundred years after King David. However he was not a good king. He and his foreign wife Jezebel led Israel to serve the false god Baal. God sent his prophet Elijah to say there would be no rain so the land dried up and there was a famine. King Ahab was looking everywhere for Elijah but God kept him safe. Then God sent Elijah to challenge the prophets of Baal, and God sent fire from heaven to demonstrate his power. But this made Jezebel even more angry.
Read 1 Kings 19: 3-9, 14-21
God was speaking through Elijah, taking care of him and working miracles including fire coming from heaven. Even so, Elijah still became scared, worn out and discouraged. He thought he was the only one left who loved God. God helped restore him physically with the angels' help, encouraged him that he wasn’t the only one left, and gave him a helper Elisha. So Elijah continued to be God’s prophet to speak and perform miracles until God took him to heaven with a chariot of fire and whirlwind.
Do you ever face challenges to your faith in God? Do you feel left out because you are a Christian?
Challenges may lead us to feel discouraged. We can ask for help from our friends and family and God. If we pray and read the Bible, the Holy Spirit will guide us in learning to trust in God and our faith will grow stronger.
Read Romans 8:38-39
