If you're like me, you've heard the story of David & Goliath a million times. If you're like me, you think you know it completely. But if you're like me, you could actually learn a lot from it.
So here's a blog post on David & Goliath. I hope you like it.
Now hold. If you aren't familiar with the story, or even if you are, click the button below. (if it doesn't light your candle with a little hope I don't know what will)
So here's a blog post on David & Goliath. I hope you like it.
Now hold. If you aren't familiar with the story, or even if you are, click the button below. (if it doesn't light your candle with a little hope I don't know what will)
It's kinda long, but so worth it if you put yourself in David's shoes...
Which is pretty much impossible.
I mean, the dude is facing a giant who could literally kill him with one swoop of his long, sharp sword. Then he takes a little stone, swings it 'round in his slingshot that probably looks only slightly different from my brother's, & knocks Goliath to his death bed. So yea...I'll change my wording: put this story into your shoes.
Now let's quit sweeping our little secrets under the carpet & tell each other the truth: we all have battles to fight that we're really scared about. Whether you're waking up in the morning to face a nine foot tall giant that you've got to kill with a pebble, or if it's all over a state piano competition that's happening this weekend (which, if that's your battle right now, let's go grab a hot vanilla chai tomorrow & worry about it together), you've got a battle in your hands.
What I think the writer of 1 Samuel 17 tricks us into believing while reading this story is that David wasn't scared at all. It's like this was fine with him & nothing could budge the faith he had in his God. Honestly, I think he probably didn't feel as fierce as he sounds. I think he was probably really scared. He was probably shaking. He was probably stumbling on his words. But what got him through was his faith that was greater than his fear. Oh yeah, he had to have been terrified. He had to have been shaking. He had to have been stumbling on his words. What human being wouldn't? But our God is greater than our giants; & if we trust him with our fears, He will shrink them to dust.
That's how I've learned to relate to this story. I may not be facing Goliath & you probably aren't either, but we both have our own giants. We both have our own worries & struggles & fears. What we have to do is trust God with our giants. It's so, so, so much harder to do than to say, but it is possible.
Each day for two whole weeks, the Israelites had met at the top of one hill with the Philistines across the valley on top of another hill, but they're all too scared to fight Goliath.
We are all Israelites.
Unlike David, the small shepherd boy who beat all odds & stood up against this giant, we're too scared. Our faith in God & his reckless love is so much smaller than our fear of men & pointless earthly things. I hate that.
As humans, you & I both have our own giants. We both lay in bed at night worrying & stressing & fearing men & pointless earthly things. Admit it. But together, let's surrender it all. With faith let's lay it all down together & trust our great God with the little giants that scatter the hills of this life. This is God's battle -- & our God always wins His battles.
Which is pretty much impossible.
I mean, the dude is facing a giant who could literally kill him with one swoop of his long, sharp sword. Then he takes a little stone, swings it 'round in his slingshot that probably looks only slightly different from my brother's, & knocks Goliath to his death bed. So yea...I'll change my wording: put this story into your shoes.
Now let's quit sweeping our little secrets under the carpet & tell each other the truth: we all have battles to fight that we're really scared about. Whether you're waking up in the morning to face a nine foot tall giant that you've got to kill with a pebble, or if it's all over a state piano competition that's happening this weekend (which, if that's your battle right now, let's go grab a hot vanilla chai tomorrow & worry about it together), you've got a battle in your hands.
What I think the writer of 1 Samuel 17 tricks us into believing while reading this story is that David wasn't scared at all. It's like this was fine with him & nothing could budge the faith he had in his God. Honestly, I think he probably didn't feel as fierce as he sounds. I think he was probably really scared. He was probably shaking. He was probably stumbling on his words. But what got him through was his faith that was greater than his fear. Oh yeah, he had to have been terrified. He had to have been shaking. He had to have been stumbling on his words. What human being wouldn't? But our God is greater than our giants; & if we trust him with our fears, He will shrink them to dust.
That's how I've learned to relate to this story. I may not be facing Goliath & you probably aren't either, but we both have our own giants. We both have our own worries & struggles & fears. What we have to do is trust God with our giants. It's so, so, so much harder to do than to say, but it is possible.
Each day for two whole weeks, the Israelites had met at the top of one hill with the Philistines across the valley on top of another hill, but they're all too scared to fight Goliath.
We are all Israelites.
Unlike David, the small shepherd boy who beat all odds & stood up against this giant, we're too scared. Our faith in God & his reckless love is so much smaller than our fear of men & pointless earthly things. I hate that.
As humans, you & I both have our own giants. We both lay in bed at night worrying & stressing & fearing men & pointless earthly things. Admit it. But together, let's surrender it all. With faith let's lay it all down together & trust our great God with the little giants that scatter the hills of this life. This is God's battle -- & our God always wins His battles.
We are more than conquerers through Him who loves us. Romans 8:37
P.S.
Y'all. I could not figure out what song to put with this post & then I caught myself singing "when fear feels bigger than my faith...". So after googling those lyrics because I couldn't remember the song name, I decided it is more than perfect to put here. When fears feel bigger than our faith, let's cast our cares on Him.
Y'all. I could not figure out what song to put with this post & then I caught myself singing "when fear feels bigger than my faith...". So after googling those lyrics because I couldn't remember the song name, I decided it is more than perfect to put here. When fears feel bigger than our faith, let's cast our cares on Him.