"He answered, I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (1 Kings 19:10)

Leaders are also vulnerable. Elijah was a powerful instrument in the hands of God. However, he faced a common problem that bothers too many servants these days: the oneness syndrome that develops in the mind of the Christian as follows:

1. The leader is afraid when a challenge presents himself: Elijah fled when Jezebel threatened him: he cried bitterly when he found himself alone. The prophet did not offer God the same opportunity to show his power as he did at Carmel Mountain. On the contrary, he took refuge in panic, sad and anxious.

2. The leader does not ask the Lord for direction: Elijah never went to God to tell him what was going on. He only went to false conclusions, and made a hasty and wrong decision.

3. The leader seeks loneliness and falls into despair: "it is not good for the man to be alone" is not only valid for marriage but also for leaders. In their cases, loneliness accelerates depression, pessimism, and withdrawn attitudes.

4. The leader threatens to abandon his mission. "Enough, Lord"! says Elijah: Many Christians forget that we are not doing God a favour by serving him, but that we are taking advantage of a privilege that we do not deserve, and that the Lord will reward abundantly (Matthew 19:20)

5. The leader denounces a general infidelity of the people of God: "... and they killed your prophets with the sword”. The Lord revealed to Elijah that he had reserved seven thousand faithful believers in Israel. When leaders find themselves in great frustration, very often they tend to criticize and condemn the church rather than build it up. This attitude leads to bitterness.

God has a solution for this disease, the same he gave Elijah who he advised not to feel sorry for himself, to eat properly, to rest properly, and return to its mission with renewed energy.

May the Lord renew our energy at this end of the year and help us return to our mission all through the New Year 2020 which is fast approaching. Amen!