Today we are starting a new series that I feel is going...

... to resonate with many of us, including myself. Sometimes, after serving God for a while, we find ourselves in a place much like Elijah. He had been greatly and miraculously used by God but now his life all of a sudden appears to be dark and empty. Before he felt he was headed for a specific destination but now he seems lost. Someone was sharing with me the other day their frustration with life and how empty they felt. I knew their story so I took the liberty to do an evaluation of where they were. This person (older than me) had been very successful in their career, had plenty of finances to retire, surrounded by family and friends, and had a miraculous encounter with Jesus…this person was healed. 

I told this person…you have felt so blessed in so many ways…you have even felt successful in ways you could have only dreamed, ninety percent of your life absolutely could not be better. The problem is that 10% that you cannot ever seem to get where you want it to be. You pray, you fast, you beg God, you read books, you do everything, yet that part of your life is sucking the life out of you. Sadly, this is not something you have dealt with for a few days, a few months, and not even a few years. This has become your thorn in the flesh that seems to have plagued you for years. They asked…How did you know? I did not ask this person what the 10% was because that was between them and God. How did I know? I knew because I have had the 10% syndrome also making me feel the same way. 

Why is human nature that way that, 90% of our lives can be wonderful but we can’t seem to enjoy it because the 10% keeps us pre-occupied with hurt and frustration. Emptiness and pain. It is as though our lives are a mindless and spiritless journey crammed with events (not experiences) and contacts (not relationships). Where am I going? What does all this mean? Why has this journey with Jesus turned into a wearisome journey? When will I find tranquility and peace again? To claim that such questions do not occur to a Christian is to be unrealistic, and actually, unhelpful. With God’s help we will be attempting to answer some of these questions.

When things do not go well for us we all have a default mechanism that we run to…hopefully it is God, but many times, that is not the case. Porn, drugs, relationships, alcohol…maybe you go fishing or play tennis.

The point is…I can’t stay here and neither can you! You must declare…I can’t stay here!