Article December 4, 1971 Issue

Not a Beast of Burden

RUSSELL D. ROBINSON

I recall a time when, for several days, I was overtaken with a feeling of deep depression. It followed a period of joy and happiness when everything was going well. Now all that, it seemed, had come to an end. So clouded was my thought that I felt no slightest sense of joy. I felt burdened, put upon, victimized by forces beyond my control. My earnest study seemed to yield no inspiration.

Finally, in a moment of utter desperation, I turned to God and pleaded, "Father, show me." And it was as if a voice answered, "You are not a beast of burden. You are a man of God!" Over and over again I repeated these words.

My thought turned to Elijah and his struggle with depression and hopelessness. I recalled that his experience had followed a period of great victory when he had dramatically proved the power of God in a contest with the Baalite priests. Yet, soon after, this man of God was fleeing from the wrath of Jezebel, despairing under a juniper tree, wishing that he might die, saying, "Take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." I Kings 19:4;

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"I doubt it"
December 4, 1971
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