Some folks suffer from the Messiah Complex, thinking no one else can do things as well as they can.  But there are many others who suffer from the Elijah Complex.

    Elijah was a great man.  In fact, he is my favorite Old Testament character.  He loved God.  He served God faithfully, standing up to the “powers that be.”  He was a man of great faith and greater courage.  He was a real man of God who took a stand for God, even if it cost him.  And because he was obedient, God was able to do some remarkable things through him.

    But he was a real man, and as such he had some failings.  At the height of his success as a man of God, he fell into depression and wanted to die.  He explained that to God by saying, in effect, that he was the only one left who really served God.

    God loved him, so he didn’t reject him.  In fact, he recommissioned him.  But He did point out to him that he was not alone.  God said, “Yet I have left me  seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.”  1 Kings 19:18.

    While not many of us can identify with Elijah’s greatness, many of us share his weakness.  We suffer from the Elijah Complex.  We fail to see others who are faithful Christians, serving God day in and day out.  We focus on ourselves so much that we wind up thinking we are the only ones who are real disciples.  We may think we are the only ones who are serious about the Christian life.  It is a “holier than thou” attitude, which actually hurts us in the thing we pride ourselves on most:  service for God.

    Not all are equally gifted.  Not all are equally faithful.  Not all are equally zealous.  Not all have great opportunities for service.  Not all go through the doors that are open.  But all are important.  All are precious to Him.  Every child of God is just that, a child, over whom the Lord yearns with a Father’s heart.

    We should love and serve the Lord.  We should also remember that there are many others all around us who love Him and serve Him as we do.  Rather than looking down on our brothers who may not be as zealous as we are, let’s lock arms with them as we advance against the enemy together.