READ: 1 KINGS 19:1-18; HEBREWS 12:1-3; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:54-58

A failure. That’s how Elijah saw himself as he fled for his life into the wilderness. He’d had such high hopes going into the dramatic showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Surely Yahweh’s clear victory would lead to a lasting national revival! But the death threats Elijah received from Jezebel following Mount Carmel shattered all his expectations. The struggle was far from over. He was exhausted and weak. No better than any of his forefathers. He thought maybe it would be better if he died. What difference could one lone man make?

Any Christian who has attempted to faithfully follow God will, at some point, experience the same emotions that Elijah felt at this juncture in his life. In those moments, we would do well to remember two things.

First, while God delights to partner with His people, the success or failure of God’s plans does not ultimately rest upon us. Our job is to serve Him faithfully wherever He places us—whether in the public eye like Elijah, or in relative obscurity like the unnamed seven thousand who remained faithful to Yahweh (1 Kings 19:18). The results belong to God (1 Corinthians 3:5-8).

Second, true success or failure can look radically different than we expect. When, by all human reckoning, it looked like everything had fallen apart for Jesus, the Son of God, everything was falling into place. Instead of failing, by His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus accomplished the greatest victory of all time over sin and death. And now, everyone who puts their faith and trust in Him shares in His victory. Whatever apparent successes or failures we may have while serving Him, we can rejoice in the victory He has already won for us, and live as the victors that He has already made us. • Kayla Esguerra

• Have you ever felt like a failure? You’re not alone. Jesus sees you and He loves you, and He is at work in all things—even failure. Consider spending some time with Jesus in prayer, telling Him how you’re feeling and asking Him to help you see your failure through His eyes.

• Can you think of any other people in the Bible or church history who had everything fall apart for them and who might have looked like failures, but God used them in great ways?

• What are some ways you can be an encouragement to someone else who you know is struggling with feelings of failure?

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (CSB)