1 Kings 19:3-7
Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.
Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”
The prophet Elijah, another Biblical hero, experienced anxiety and depression. One powerful episode of despair came upon him after a great victory against false prophets. Because of this, he received threats against his life, so he ran away into the desert alone. Feeling abandoned by God and others, Elijah wanted to die. In fact, he was so depressed he stopped eating and drinking, until the Lord sent an angel to care for him.
Can you relate to Elijah? Have you ever been so caught up in anxiety and depression that you stopped sleeping and caring for your body with proper nutrition and exercise? Although attending to these things is not a cure-all, and medication may be necessary, properly caring for the body can help alleviate anxiety and depression.
Today, ask God to reveal to you ways you’ve neglected care for your physical body that may be contributing to an increased sense of anxiety and depression in your life. Ask God to give you the strength to “get up and eat” as a step to caring for your mental health.