Series: The Cave
Sermon Title: When we are at our lowest…
Passage: I Kings 19:3-8

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Pastor Jericho Toilolo

 

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Series: The Cave
Sermon Title: When we are at our lowest…
Passage: I Kings 19:3-8

SERMON POINTS: 

1. God’s compassion meets us at our breaking point.
   I Kings 19:3-7
   Psalm 34:18
2. God cares for every part of us- mind, body and spirit.
3. God doesn’t just comfort us… He also calls us forward.
   1 Kings 19:7–8
   Ephesians 2:1-5

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Question: How have you personally experienced God’s compassion when you’ve been at your lowest? Sometimes the angel God sends looks like a person—who has been that compassionate presence for you?

• Supportive scripture: 1 Kings 19:3–7; Psalm 34:18
• Follow-up: What did this encounter teach you about God’s heart and character?

Question: Why do you think it’s important that God cares deeply about our entire being, not just our spiritual life?

• Supportive scripture: 1 Kings 19:5–7; Psalm 139:1–6
• Follow-up: Which part of your life (mind, body, or spirit) do you tend to neglect the most, and what practical steps can you take to invite God into that area?

Question: When you’re emotionally or physically drained, why is it often difficult to move forward—even if that’s exactly what you need?

• Supportive scripture: 1 Kings 19:7–8; Ephesians 2:1–5
• Follow-up: Share a time when God’s comfort didn’t just relieve your pain but actually called you toward something greater. What did you learn from that experience?

Question: Why do we often hesitate to share our deepest struggles with God or others? How does Elijah’s vulnerability encourage or challenge you?

• Supportive scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3–4; Hebrews 4:15–16
• Follow-up: What fear do you need to overcome to bring your authentic emotions openly to God?

Question: What does Elijah’s experience teach you about God’s desire to replenish and refresh you during emotionally challenging seasons?

• Supportive scripture: Mark 6:31; Matthew 11:28–30
• Follow-up: What intentional habits or rhythms could help you better receive God’s nourishment regularly in your life?

Question: How can difficult seasons, like Elijah’s cave experience, become opportunities for genuine growth and transformation in your spiritual journey?

• Supportive scripture: James 1:2–4; 2 Corinthians 4:16–18
• Follow-up: How has God specifically used a challenging season in your past to mature you spiritually or emotionally?

Question: Why do we often struggle to recognize God’s presence during our lowest moments, and how can Elijah’s story reshape our expectations?

• Supportive scripture: Isaiah 43:18–19; Genesis 28:16
• Follow-up: Can you identify a recent wilderness moment where you now see God was present, even if you didn’t recognize it at first?

Question: How does Elijah’s story reflect the broader Gospel truth that God meets us at our worst moment and offers restoration and new life?

• Supportive scripture: Ephesians 2:4–5; Romans 5:6–8
• Follow-up: How can remembering your own spiritual rescue help you trust God more fully in your current emotional or mental struggles?

 

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

Day 1: Receiving God’s Compassion

• Reflective Question: Where am I most in need of experiencing God’s compassion right now?
• Follow-up: How would fully accepting God’s compassion today change the way you relate to your pain?
• Scripture: Psalm 34:18
• Meditative Prompt: Take a few minutes to envision Jesus sitting beside you, gently acknowledging your pain without judgment. Allow His compassion to reach the deepest places of your heart.

Day 2: Caring for Mind, Body, and Spirit

• Reflective Question: Which part of my life (mind, body, or spirit) am I neglecting the most right now?
• Follow-up: How can I care for this area bringing greater joy and peace into my life?
• Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19–20
• Meditative Prompt: Prayerfully ask God, “What specific steps can I take today to nurture this neglected area?”

Day 3: Trusting God’s Nourishment

• Reflective Question: In what ways have I been resisting or neglecting God’s invitation to rest and receive nourishment?
• Follow-up: What daily rhythm or practice can I adopt to regularly accept God’s nourishment for my soul?
• Scripture: Mark 6:31
• Meditative Prompt: Imagine God personally providing for you, like He did for Elijah, offering you rest and nourishment. Receive it gratefully in prayer.

Day 4: Listening for God’s Call

• Reflective Question: What might God be gently calling me forward into—even in the midst of my current struggle?
• Follow-up: What small step can I take today toward responding positively to God’s call forward?
• Scripture: Ephesians 2:4–5
• Meditative Prompt: Quiet your mind and simply pray, “God, what new or deeper thing do you desire for me from this difficult season?”

Day 5: Vulnerability Before God

• Reflective Question: Are there any emotional burdens or secrets I’m hesitant to openly share with God?
• Follow-up: How might fully surrendering these burdens affect my emotional health moving forward?
• Scripture: Hebrews 4:16 
• Meditative Prompt: Visualize yourself placing each burden, fear, or hidden feeling into God’s hands, trusting His goodness and care.

Day 6: From Comfort to Transformation

• Reflective Question: In what ways might my pursuit of comfort or avoidance of pain be hindering my spiritual and emotional growth?
• Follow-up: What is one practical choice I can make today to embrace growth rather than comfort alone?
• Scripture: James 1:2–4 
• Meditative Prompt: Reflect on how God might be inviting you not just into comfort but toward meaningful transformation. Pray for the courage to trust His plan.

Day 7: Recognizing God’s Presence in the Cave

• Reflective Question: How can I become more aware of God’s presence in my current “cave” or wilderness experience?
• Follow-up: How would recognizing God’s presence right now shift my perspective on my current struggles?
• Scripture: Isaiah 43:19
• Meditative Prompt: Sit quietly, breathing deeply, and become attentive to God’s presence already with you, even if it’s been hard to perceive before.

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

• Isaiah 43:2
• Isaiah 42:3
• Psalm 147:3
• 2 Corinthians 1:3–5

 

RESOURCES:

• PODCAST | RENOVERE’ | TREVOR HUDSON | MEETING CHRIST IN OUR TEARS
• PODCAST | NATHAN FOSTER | FORMED BY SUFFERING
• PODCAST | MICHAEL CUSICK | RESTORING THE SOUL | FROM BROKEN TO BELOVED: A JOURNEY THROUGH SPIRITUAL HEALING
• ARTICLE | DAN ALLENDER | TRAUMA AND THE BODY

 

MONTHLY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE: Prayer

Introduction to the Spiritual Discipline of Prayer
by Rob Hans, Spiritual Formation Pastor, LifeChurchNV

If we could strip away all the religious jargon and get to the heart of prayer, I’d say that prayer is a relationship, not a ritual. It’s not about using the right words to get God’s attention—it’s about showing up. It’s about connection, communion, and honesty with God. Here is the truth: He already knows your heart and still invites you closer.

What is prayer?
Prayer is simply being with God. It’s opening your heart to Him, talking and listening, asking and receiving, confessing and resting. It’s how we walk with Jesus through life’s ordinary and extraordinary moments. At its core, prayer is our lifeline to the presence of God. And like any good relationship, it grows deeper the more time we spend in it. In prayer, we don’t just talk to God, we become more aware with and of God.

Why is prayer important?
As followers of Jesus, prayer is not optional—it’s essential. It realigns our hearts, reorients our desires, and reshapes our identity. When we pray, we don’t just ask for things; we’re formed. We become more like Christ as we slow down, surrender, and invite Him into every part of our lives. In a world full of noise, prayer becomes our sacred space to breathe, refocus, and remember who we are and whose we are. It’s how we carry burdens, find clarity, receive peace, and move in spiritual authority. If you’re someone who is feeling stuck or scattered, start by returning to prayer.

What are the different types of prayer?
Prayer comes in many forms, and each is a unique way to experience God’s presence. Sometimes it’s adoration—praising God for who He is. Other times it’s confession—bringing our failures and receiving His grace. We pray thanksgiving prayers when we acknowledge His goodness, and supplication when we ask boldly for His help or provision. There’s also intercessory prayer—standing in the gap for others. And let’s not forget listening prayer—where we quiet our words and let God speak. Each type draws us into a different level of relationship with Him, shaping us as people who live in constant conversation with our Creator.

So here’s the invitation: Let prayer become a delight instead of duty, enjoyable, not fearful. Allow prayer to become the way you stay connected to God and His love for you.

🌱 For the New Believer: “Start the Conversation”

Theme: God wants to hear from you… just as you are.
Exercise:
Find a quiet place. Turn off your phone. Take a deep breath. Now imagine God sitting across from you, not distant or angry, but loving and present. Then simply answer these three prompts in prayer:

• “God, here’s what I’m thankful for today…”
• “God, here’s what’s on my mind or heart right now…”
• “God, I don’t know how to pray, but I want to know You more…”

Sit in the silence for one minute afterward. Don’t try to “feel” anything—just be. Let this be the beginning of a real relationship, not a religious duty.

🌿 For the Growing Believer: “Stretch the Muscle”

Theme: Prayer shapes your soul—it’s not just what you say, but how you listen.
Exercise: Commit to a daily 15-minute prayer rhythm for one week using the ACTS model:

• A – Adoration: Begin with 2 minutes of praising God for who He is—His character, faithfulness, mercy, power.
• C – Confession: Be honest. Where have you fallen short? Where have you tried to live without Him?
• T – Thanksgiving: Name as many blessings as you can, big and small.
• S – Supplication: Ask boldly for yourself, for others, and for the world.

End in silence. Set a timer for 3 minutes. Don’t talk. Don’t strive. Just listen. Write down anything you sense, feel, or notice.
Reflection: What surprised you? What challenged you? What did God highlight?

🌳 For the Mature Believer: “The With-God Life”

Theme: What if prayer wasn’t an event, but the atmosphere of your whole life?
Exercise: “The Examen Prayer (Deepened)” + Intercessory Walk
Morning (10 minutes):
Before you do anything, sit before God with this question:
“Lord, what are You doing in the world today—and how can I join You?”
Journal what comes to mind. Ask God to open your eyes to His presence in every task and conversation.

Evening (20 minutes):
Pray the Examen:

• Where did I notice God’s presence today?
• Where did I resist Him?
• What moved my heart (joy, anger, fear, peace)?
• Where do I need to repent or rejoice?
• What grace do I need tomorrow?

 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: When We Are at Our Lowest – A Devotional Reflection on 1 Kings 19

By Rob Hans, Spiritual Formation Pastor, LifeChurchNV

Last week, I wrote about the wilderness—how Elijah found himself there, physically and emotionally. But this week, that image still lingers. The wilderness isn’t just a location; it’s a spiritual condition. In 1 Kings 19:3-4, we see that Elijah was afraid, and he led himself into the wilderness. That choice wasn’t random. It was emotional. It was reactive. It was human.

Your wilderness might not look like Elijah’s, but you’ve probably been there too. For some, the wilderness looks like isolation, self-reliance, anxiety, or even self-medication. It’s that place we run to when fear, shame, or exhaustion take over. We find ourselves in the wilderness and not as close to God as we once were… Who do you think moved? Elijah’s decision was driven by emotion, and while God used it, the truth remains: when our wounds go unhealed, our emotions can lead us further from wholeness rather than toward it.

But here’s the grace: even when Elijah’s emotions took the wheel, God met him there. He didn’t scold him. He didn’t abandon him. He showed up tenderly, personally, and fully aware of Elijah’s condition. In 1 Kings 19:5-7, we find one of the most intimate moments in Scripture: an angel sent to care for his body, mind, and soul. God fed him, let him rest, and invited him to keep going. That’s the heart of the Father. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” When we allow God to meet us in the wilderness, we begin to genuinely experience and embrace His love and goodness.

Pastor Dusty reminds us this week in his sermon:

• God’s compassion meets us at our breaking point.
• He cares for every part of us—mind, body, and spirit.
• And He doesn’t just comfort us—He calls us forward.

Elijah’s wilderness was not the end. It was a turning point.

God does want to call us forward, He wants to reveal himself and bring us to a place of spiritual and emotional honesty and health. Spiritual writer David Benner says it this way in The Gift of Being Yourself: “Thomas à Kempis argued that ‘a humble self-knowledge is a surer way to God than a search after deep learning,’ and Augustine’s prayer was, ‘Grant, Lord, that I may know myself that I may know thee.’”

The journey toward emotional and spiritual health is tied to both knowing God and knowing ourselves. And the wilderness often reveals where those two things have become disconnected. If you’re in the wilderness now, I encourage you to spend time slowly reading and sitting with Psalm 139. It’s a sacred reminder that:

• God searches you and knows you
• He surrounds you, behind and before
• You can’t flee His presence
• He knows your thoughts, your wounds, and your ways

This psalm reminds us who we are and whose we are. And it speaks to the deepest truth of Elijah’s story: God allows us to enter the wilderness, but He never leaves us there alone. His invitation in the wilderness is not punishment—it’s healing.

Let His presence meet you today right where you are. And trust that even in your lowest moment, He’s calling you gently forward.