Walking by Faith: Elijah – When God Whispers After the Storm

Arnie and the BTTB Team
Jul 25
3 min read

One day, he called down fire from heaven. The next day, he ran for his life.

Elijah’s story is one of bold public faith followed by deep personal despair. He was fearless on Mount Carmel, standing alone against hundreds of false prophets. But not long after, he collapsed in fear and exhaustion under a broom tree, begging God to take his life.

It’s a moment every believer can relate to. One minute you’re standing strong in faith. The next, you feel like giving up.

Elijah shows us that walking by faith isn’t always loud, visible, or dramatic. Sometimes it means resting, listening, and rediscovering the gentle presence of God.

The High Point of Courage

“The God who answers by fire, he is God.” (1 Kings 18:24)

Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is one of the most dramatic scenes in the Bible. He calls out the false gods, builds an altar, soaks it with water, and then prays a simple prayer.

God answers with fire. The people fall on their faces. The false prophets are defeated.

It’s a spiritual high point. Elijah had trusted God fully—and God showed up in power.

But sometimes, after great victories, come great vulnerabilities.

The Collapse That Followed

“He arose and ran for his life… and came and sat down under a broom tree.” (1 Kings 19:3–4)

When Queen Jezebel heard what happened on Mount Carmel, she vowed to kill Elijah.

Instead of standing firm, Elijah ran. He fled to the wilderness, sat under a tree, and prayed to die.

This wasn’t cowardice. It was exhaustion. Elijah had poured himself out for God, and now he was physically, emotionally, and spiritually drained.

He felt alone. Forgotten. Finished.

Many of us have been there—after a demanding season of faith or ministry, we hit a wall. We feel like failures simply because we’re empty.

The God Who Cares for the Weary

What does God do when Elijah is at his lowest? He doesn’t rebuke him. He doesn’t give a lecture. He sends an angel with food, water, and rest.

“Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” (1 Kings 19:7)

Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is sleep, eat, and be still. God knows our limits. He remembers that we are dust (Ps. 103:14). Before He calls Elijah forward, He simply helps him recover.

That’s grace.

The Whisper in the Silence

After resting, Elijah travels to Mount Horeb. There, he pours out his heart to God: “I have been very jealous for the Lord… and I alone am left” (1 Kings 19:10).

Sunset over the ocean with dramatic clouds and golden rays breaking through. A lone person stands on the shore, creating a serene mood.

God responds—not with thunder or fire, but with a “low whisper.”

It’s a defining moment. Elijah had seen God in dramatic power. But now, he learns that God is just as present in the quiet.

The whisper reminds us that God meets us personally. He speaks gently to the wounded. He doesn’t always change our circumstances—but He renews our perspective.

A Renewed Mission

God wasn’t done with Elijah. After restoring him, God gave him a new assignment: anoint new leaders, and prepare the way for the next prophet—Elisha.

Elijah didn’t return to the spotlight. But he continued faithfully. His legacy would live on through Elisha and beyond.

God doesn’t discard the weary. He revives them. He gives them what they need and sends them back out, not in their strength, but in His.

What Elijah’s Journey Means for Ours

You may be in a place like Elijah’s wilderness right now—tired, discouraged, or wondering if your life of faith has made any real impact.

God sees you.

He knows the highs and lows of your journey. He’s not disappointed in your weakness. He draws near to you in it.

Don’t believe the lie that a moment of collapse means the end of your usefulness. God meets us under the broom tree just as surely as He meets us on the mountain.