Warning Signs That Bad Days Are Coming

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
–John 10:10

There are some warning signs that signal a time of discouragement that we need to be aware of so that we don’t stumble in the same way Elijah did in 1 Kings 19.

Being physically and emotionally exhausted is a sign that a bad season of life or a bad day may be around the corner. That was true for Elijah. Think about it: he had been in perpetual motion from the time he left the widow at Zarephath until he went to King Ahab and confronted him again, and then he had that great contest on the top of Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal, and then he prayed for the rain to come. Elijah had no allowance for rest and relaxation. No wonder he became depressed and discouraged! God made us spiritual beings, but we are more than spiritual beings; we are physical beings as well. I remember a particular four-day period in my life, ninety-six hours, in which I was in perpetual motion. I was going, going, going from this activity to that activity, not really eating, not sleeping, doing lots of things. It was very exciting. The adrenaline was pumping. I came back home, and the next day I was so depressed I could barely get out of bed. I’m not even going to tell you some of the foolish thoughts I had. Pretty soon I began saying, “Where is this coming from? What’s wrong with me?” What was wrong with me was I was tired. One of my mentors said that sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap. Do you know that’s true? Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is not read your Bible and pray; it’s just to take a nap, because we all get tired. And when we get exhausted physically and emotionally, it leads to a bad season of life.

Somebody has said you will break the bow if you keep it always bent. Some of you have kept your bow bent for too long, and if you are not careful, it’s going to break soon. Here are some ways to know whether your bow is bent a little too long in your life: Do anxious thoughts rob you of sleep? Do your children get on your nerves more easily than normal? Do minor setbacks turn into major emotional outbursts in your life? Do you use alcohol, drugs, prescription drugs, or endless hours of television viewing to deaden the pain of disappointment? Those are signs that you may be just physically tired and need to rest.

We are physical beings, but we are spiritual beings as well. And many times, Satan will look for those times when you are physically exhausted, just like Jesus was when He faced the temptations of Satan in the wilderness. At that time, Jesus was physically exhausted, He was on a fast, and He was prone to Satan’s entry into His life. And Satan will do the same thing to you as well. Don’t give him an entry point into your life. Don’t let your guard down. In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Secret #6: Learn How to Handle Bad Days” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2017.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.