Things That Make You Want to Quit - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
Things That Make You Want to Quit
1 Kings 19:1–4
Intro: Elijah was not a weak prophet.
He was not a mediocre servant.
He had just come off the greatest victory of his ministry on Mount Carmel.
Yet he wanted to quit. He had enough!!
Every believer reaches a moment where quitting seems easier than continuing.
Elijah’s experience reveals four common reasons believers grow weary and walk away.
I. Listening to Sinners
1 Kings 19:1–2
Jezebel’s message was filled with:
threat
intimidation
hatred
hostility
She wanted Elijah to fear her words more than he trusted God’s Word.
Sinners speak to discourage you.
Sinners will always say whatever rattles, shakes, or intimidates God’s people.
Sinners speak without authority.
Jezebel had no authority over Elijah’s life or calling.
What she said was loud, but it wasn’t true.
Sinners speak to distract you from God’s voice.
The moment Elijah listened to Jezebel, he stopped listening to God.
Fear grows when faith stops listening.
Satan often uses the voices of the wicked to:
distort the truth
magnify fear
minimize faith
discourage obedience
When you give your ear to the wrong voice, quitting becomes an option.
II. Looking at Situations
1 Kings 19:3 “And when he SAW that…”
Faith died at the moment Elijah stopped looking at God and started looking at Jezebel.
Situations can be misleading.
Elijah thought victory on Carmel would change the situation, but instead it made Jezebel angrier.
What he SAW discouraged him.
What he KNEW about God should have encouraged him.
Elijah thought:
he was alone
the revival was over
God had failed to protect him
None of that was true.
Your situation is not the whole story.
Your feelings are not the final authority.
What it looks like is not what it is.
Situations can magnify fear.
Fear thrives on what we see.
It thrives on what God says.
Elijah forgot that:
God shut the heavens
God sent fire
God sent rain
God answered prayer
God used him powerfully
And yet one angry woman changed his entire focus.
If you stare long enough at your problems, you will forget God’s power.
People who walk by sight almost always eventually want to quit.
III. Leaving Your Station
1 Kings 19:3–4 “He left his servant… and went a day’s journey into the wilderness.”
Elijah abandoned:
his post
his partner
his purpose
When believers step out of their God-appointed place, quitting becomes almost inevitable.
A. He Left His Assignment
Elijah walked away from the people he was called to serve and the ministry God gave him.
B. He Left His Accountability
Leaving his servant behind removed spiritual support, fellowship, and encouragement.
Isolation always fuels discouragement.
C. He Left His Alignment With God’s Will
God never told Elijah to leave his post.
Discouragement drove him, not direction.
When you get out of place, you get out of peace.
When you walk away from what God commanded, you lose sight of why God called you.
Many Christians want to quit because they have:
wandered from their calling
abandoned their ministry
withdrawn from church
isolated themselves
When a believer leaves their “station,” they lose stability.
IV. Living for Self
1 Kings 19:4 “…and he requested for himself…It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life…”
Elijah's prayer shows he was focused entirely on himself.
Elijah believed:
he deserved better
he had done enough
he wasn’t appreciated
he was all alone
Self-pity always exaggerates your feelings and minimizes God’s grace.
He said, “I am not better than my fathers.”
God never asked him to be better than anyone.
He wasn’t in competition — he was in obedience.
Elijah judged himself by:
comparison
emotion
exhaustion
Self-focus always leads to discouragement.
Elijah was more concerned about:
his safety
his comfort
his reputation
his feelings
When self becomes the center, quitting becomes the conclusion.
The quickest way to faint is to focus on yourself.
The quickest way to endure is to focus on the Lord.
Conclusion: The same four forces that made Elijah want to quit are the same ones that discourage believers today:
Listening to the wrong voices
Looking at the wrong things
Leaving the wrong place
Living for the wrong person
But God did not rebuke Elijah—He restored him.
He fed him, strengthened him, spoke to him, recommissioned him, and reminded him he wasn’t alone.
· When you want to quit—God wants to restore.
· When you feel empty—God provides strength.
· When you feel useless—God still has work for you.