Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before.
— 1 Samuel 17:28–30
Do you remember the last time you faced something so difficult that you had no idea how you would get through it? Things like a bad diagnosis, the loss of a job, a loved one, a natural disaster, or war can really knock the wind out of a person.
It is natural to feel overwhelmed and maybe even sad or scared in these situations. Those are all reasonable feelings. What happens next, though, can make all the difference.
When we read about the life of David, we see many times when he likely felt the same way. I imagine he was shocked in 1 Samuel 17 when he was going to bring his brothers some bread on the battle lines. He gets there, and it looks like the nation of Israel will face certain defeat because of a single giant named Goliath. That had to be one of those moments that knocked the wind out of him.
But David says, “The Lord will deliver me.” David is making a clear statement of faith. He will not lose heart, give up, or lose faith. How? Because instead of looking at the details of a situation that felt impossible, he remembered that God was faithful to him in the past. He remembered that he had been in dangerous situations before, and at the end of those trials, one fact remained: David was still here.
David is an example of how we can overcome any obstacle when we focus on God. We must remember that our faith is not in our own strength but in God’s strength. And He will never forsake us, even in the most difficult times. The best part is that we have a life full of evidence to back this up.
So I ask you again, do you remember the last time you were faced with something so difficult you had no idea how you were going to get through it? Guess what? You made it, and you will make it again.
Prayer:
Father, please give us resilience and determination when going through hard times. Help us to trust in your power and not to lose heart, give up, or lose faith. Give us the strength to overcome any obstacle, and help us remember how you have gotten us through difficult situations. In Christ’s name, amen.