What is your Giant?
"David didn't kill Goliath because he set out to slay giants... He killed Goliath because his dad sent him to take his brothers sandwiches and Goliath got in the way" -- Rich Mullins
David was the youngest of his seven brothers and Jesse, his father was very old already by this time. When David was sent with sandwiches for his oldest three brothers, he went willingly and obeyed what his father had told him to do. David arrived to where his brothers and the rest of Saul's army was and started asking about what would happened when the giant was killed and to the person who killed the giant. When his brothers overhead that David was talking they were angry and wondering why he was there and who was looking after the sheep. They called him conceited and wicked at heart, telling him also that he only had bad intentions of coming to watch the battle. David replied asking what he had done to be talked to like that, why he couldn't speak without being harassed.
Can you imagine, taking the time to take your brothers food, and having to walk a long ways to get to them, only to be yelled at? He went to help them and out of kindness and all he got in response was anger. Maybe that's how God feels sometimes. We ignore him for a while because we are busy trying to fight off the giants and when He comes to us with help and guidance, we reply by asking Him where He has been or that we don't need His help or that we are too busy to listen to Him. We turn Him away just as David was turned away from his brothers.
Once again, David asked what happened when the giant was killed, he was overheard yet again by someone and what David had asked was reported to Saul. When David volunteered to fight Goliath, Saul doubted him, leading David to explain why he was worthy to fight the battle. Saul deemed David worthy and took him to put his own armor on him so that he would be prepared to fight, but David refused, saying that he was not used to them and therefore would not fight well. Instead, David proceeded to go to the stream, he found 5 smooth stones, put them in the pouch of his shepherds' bag, had his sling in hand and approached the Philistine giant. For the third time in this encounter, David was looked down upon and seen as unworthy. The Philistine giant called him a dog and said he would feed him to the birds and wild animals. David responded with faith in the Lord though, trusting that God would provide him with what he needed. Now I can only imagine how hard that would have been for David, to be doubted so many times and looked down upon. To be told you are powerless and are to small to do anything useful in the situation. Still, David showed great faith and trust in God and responded with actions.(1 Timothy 4:12)
This ends with David killing Goliath with a sling and stone, in one shot, and on top of that, showing the power of God in the process. When David is convincing Saul that he is worthy to fight the giant, he talks about fighting off bears and lions to keep the sheep safe.. he must have been pretty good with that sling and had good aim. The more I thought about it though, the more sense it made. When he would watch the sheep, they would be eating or sleeping, and he would be watching them, which I am sure got very boring doing day after day for endless hours, all alone. David probably carried that sling around with him, where ever he went, which would have given him time to practice when he was bored. God had him shepherding sheep for so long, to improve that skill until David was ready to use it to show the power of the Lord through it. It doesn't give us many details, but when I think about a sling, and picking rocks from a river, neither of them are very big, never mind big enough to kill someone, especially a giant. The power that God was able to show through David when David put his trust in Him is amazing.
Sometimes God has you in a place that you feel is meaningless or minuscule, but God doesn't use our time, pain and talents for anything other than improving us and furthering the kingdom. That place you are in right now that makes you confused at why every day is the same continuous cycle, give it to God. Give Him the power, and let Him lead you to have a faith like David. We all like to think that we would have the faith to do as God calls us and to go where He calls us, but take a step back, look at your situation and really determine who you are giving the power to.
Sometimes your giant isn't as noticeable as Goliath and sometimes our true purpose in this life isn't as obvious either. Following the call and letting God lead will always be way more rewarding than anything on this earth. Even if you feel like your path seems insignificant, like delivering sandwiches, you were made for such a great and important purpose. That's where Goliath comes in though, when you start seeing the worth and purpose in yourself. The enemy will use absolutely any opportunity to keep you from fulfilling that purpose and accomplishing the goals that have been set before you. Don't let the Goliaths, big or small, deter you from keeping your eyes on Jesus. Jesus is going to bring you out on the other side and you will see just how many amazing things He is able to accomplish through you. God sees the whole picture of your life, you only see what is directly in front of you. Trust that God has placed these giants in front of you so that you will be better prepared to fight and use your talents in the future.
Be like David and trust that your help comes from more than what your eyes can see in front of you.
David was the youngest of his seven brothers and Jesse, his father was very old already by this time. When David was sent with sandwiches for his oldest three brothers, he went willingly and obeyed what his father had told him to do. David arrived to where his brothers and the rest of Saul's army was and started asking about what would happened when the giant was killed and to the person who killed the giant. When his brothers overhead that David was talking they were angry and wondering why he was there and who was looking after the sheep. They called him conceited and wicked at heart, telling him also that he only had bad intentions of coming to watch the battle. David replied asking what he had done to be talked to like that, why he couldn't speak without being harassed.
Can you imagine, taking the time to take your brothers food, and having to walk a long ways to get to them, only to be yelled at? He went to help them and out of kindness and all he got in response was anger. Maybe that's how God feels sometimes. We ignore him for a while because we are busy trying to fight off the giants and when He comes to us with help and guidance, we reply by asking Him where He has been or that we don't need His help or that we are too busy to listen to Him. We turn Him away just as David was turned away from his brothers.
Once again, David asked what happened when the giant was killed, he was overheard yet again by someone and what David had asked was reported to Saul. When David volunteered to fight Goliath, Saul doubted him, leading David to explain why he was worthy to fight the battle. Saul deemed David worthy and took him to put his own armor on him so that he would be prepared to fight, but David refused, saying that he was not used to them and therefore would not fight well. Instead, David proceeded to go to the stream, he found 5 smooth stones, put them in the pouch of his shepherds' bag, had his sling in hand and approached the Philistine giant. For the third time in this encounter, David was looked down upon and seen as unworthy. The Philistine giant called him a dog and said he would feed him to the birds and wild animals. David responded with faith in the Lord though, trusting that God would provide him with what he needed. Now I can only imagine how hard that would have been for David, to be doubted so many times and looked down upon. To be told you are powerless and are to small to do anything useful in the situation. Still, David showed great faith and trust in God and responded with actions.(1 Timothy 4:12)
This ends with David killing Goliath with a sling and stone, in one shot, and on top of that, showing the power of God in the process. When David is convincing Saul that he is worthy to fight the giant, he talks about fighting off bears and lions to keep the sheep safe.. he must have been pretty good with that sling and had good aim. The more I thought about it though, the more sense it made. When he would watch the sheep, they would be eating or sleeping, and he would be watching them, which I am sure got very boring doing day after day for endless hours, all alone. David probably carried that sling around with him, where ever he went, which would have given him time to practice when he was bored. God had him shepherding sheep for so long, to improve that skill until David was ready to use it to show the power of the Lord through it. It doesn't give us many details, but when I think about a sling, and picking rocks from a river, neither of them are very big, never mind big enough to kill someone, especially a giant. The power that God was able to show through David when David put his trust in Him is amazing.
Sometimes God has you in a place that you feel is meaningless or minuscule, but God doesn't use our time, pain and talents for anything other than improving us and furthering the kingdom. That place you are in right now that makes you confused at why every day is the same continuous cycle, give it to God. Give Him the power, and let Him lead you to have a faith like David. We all like to think that we would have the faith to do as God calls us and to go where He calls us, but take a step back, look at your situation and really determine who you are giving the power to.
Sometimes your giant isn't as noticeable as Goliath and sometimes our true purpose in this life isn't as obvious either. Following the call and letting God lead will always be way more rewarding than anything on this earth. Even if you feel like your path seems insignificant, like delivering sandwiches, you were made for such a great and important purpose. That's where Goliath comes in though, when you start seeing the worth and purpose in yourself. The enemy will use absolutely any opportunity to keep you from fulfilling that purpose and accomplishing the goals that have been set before you. Don't let the Goliaths, big or small, deter you from keeping your eyes on Jesus. Jesus is going to bring you out on the other side and you will see just how many amazing things He is able to accomplish through you. God sees the whole picture of your life, you only see what is directly in front of you. Trust that God has placed these giants in front of you so that you will be better prepared to fight and use your talents in the future.
Be like David and trust that your help comes from more than what your eyes can see in front of you.
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