The Cave.
When Elijah heard [the whisper of God], he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
~ 1 Kings 19:13
By the time you read this, I will be in my cave.
We all seem to be in some kind of transition pretty much all the time, but then there are the biggies: going to college, getting into a relationship, choosing a profession, changing jobs, changing cities, changing careers, etc. Sometimes you just know that you have landed at a genuine crossroads and that the choice you make here is going to shape a good chunk of your future. I find myself at this place now. How about you?
How does it feel to be there? Exciting? Scary? Confusing? Hopeful? Maybe a cocktail of all these plus a few more?
How do you navigate such a weighty space as this? Pray? Evaluate? Get counsel? Bible-flop? Maybe all these and a few more?
I was journaling about my crossroads, and I unexpectedly thought of Elijah in his cave. (Read 1 Kings 19 if the story is fuzzy; it’s a good read!) The short version is that an enemy is trying to kill him, he has fled for his life, and he is so discouraged that he wants to die. In fact, he might actually have died except that God intervenes, strengthens him, and apparently sends him to Mount Horeb (the “mountain of God”) where he spends the night in a cave. In the days that follow, Elijah has a defining encounter with God, seems to get restored internally, and receives a new assignment for the next season of his life. I could use something along those lines; how about you?
In fact, in a few days I’m heading out to find my own “cave.” For me it will be backpacking alone for a week or two to see if I can find what Elijah found. I’ll let you know.
As I prepare for this little adventure, about which I confess to ambivalence, I find some useful markers in Elijah’s story to chew on, and I suspect you might find something useful here too, whether you are at a big crossroads or not.
Even after a big achievement, life can suddenly go dark. Elijah had just won an epic showdown with 450 prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel… but now he’s ready to quit permanently. I have been told that after completing a doctorate of ministry degree, a large majority of students make a career change. Go figure.
When the path goes dark, we need deep refreshment. The angel that came to Elijah told him, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” Indeed, we cannot always sustain ourselves; we need spiritual (and perhaps other kinds of) resources and renewal. Maybe a coach or companion. Maybe a retreat or sabbatical. Maybe backpacking up the AT.
When uncertain, we need to get in touch with our deepest desires. When Elijah gets to his cave, God asks him a funny question: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” I can imagine the response… Uh, this is your mountain. Didn’t you send me here? But God is after something more personal, more profound—What is it that you really, really, really want, Elijah? Can you answer that question? Can you name your deepest longings?
God wants to heal our wounds, if we’re willing to let our faith evolve. As Elijah recounts the circumstances of his discouragement and his feelings of failure, God offers the most potent remedy imaginable: presence. After listening to Elijah’s broken heart, God moves in for the most intimate of encounters… and it’s a magically teachable moment.
So far in his career, Elijah has known God through crazy displays of power, like raining down fire from heaven! Yeah, that kind of stuff. So God sets Elijah up here by doing the divine power dance—tornados, earthquakes, and wildfires. But the Lord was not in any of them. “And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.” It’s a very poignant moment where God says, in effect, I’m coming closer. I’m not just the God who cares about a nation; I care about you. And if you’ll get vulnerable enough, I can heal your broken heart and continue to use you.
We need a new inner posture for a new assignment. That intimate encounter with God in the cave (and the transformed relationship it instigates) prepares Elijah to take on a new assignment: to anoint two new kings and to tap his successor. It’s a massive pivot point for Elijah as he comes to realize that serving God no longer means being the man of power for the hour; instead, it’s time to equip, impart, and release the next generation. He still has some important things to do for God, but the gravity has shifted dramatically, and Elijah’s newfound mystical connection with God, combined with the humility to pass the baton, gives him a brand new posture for his life and opens up the next season.
growing your soul
What connects with you here… and where is your cave of presence?
serving our world
Might there be a new audience and a new objective in this next season of your life?
takeaway
Find your cave.