King David’s story is one of great adventure, passion and God’s infinite grace. Reading through first and second Samuel are probably some of my greatest past times. I love reviewing his life from beginning to end, seeing how every step of the way the Lord was preparing him for the things to come.
This can be said about pretty much any man or woman in the Bible, but today’s focus will be on King David and how his life’s story correlates with the rest of our lives.
The most memorable victory in David’s life has got to be when he faces off with a Philistine giant named Goliath. 1 Samuel 17 depicts the battle in its entirety. The portion of the story that stands out to me is David’s confidence in the Lord giving him victory over Goliath.
David reminisces on times during his shepherding that the Lord had allowed for him to protect his father’s flock of sheep saying, “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from his mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death.”
I can’t even imagine my teenage self slaying monstrous animals in the wild, let alone chasing after them to take back what is mine.
But I can attest to having to deal with an extremely difficult boss on the job at the age of seventeen. It was my very first job (at a fast food restaurant) and my boss had made it clear that she did not like me. Every time I saw her car parked outside of the establishment before a shift, this feeling of dread would fill the pit of my stomach and I immediately wanted to go home. Even after we had spoken and settled our differences, I always associated seeing her car parked outside with negativity and would have to remind myself that things had gotten better.
Later in life I would find myself working for much more difficult people who were rude, unkind and unfair toward me, but I was able to serve them confidently. Having experienced difficulty on the job before, interacting with people who seemed 10X’s worst than my entry level job was easier. The Lord had given me confidence to serve those who seemed unservable, promoting me in the process and showing me how valued I was by him.
I imagine that David felt the same confidence that you and I experience when the Lord allows for us to go through certain things to prepare us for something much bigger in the future.
Though I must say that in the process, it rarely feels like you’ve got it all together and sometimes you even find yourself questioning why you’re experiencing hardship. I’ll bet David’s adrenaline was off the charts as he went up against the first lion who crossed his path. I can imagine him running home to tell his father what had happened and praying that it never happened again.
It was in those very moments that God was preparing David to face Goliath.
What are some areas in your life where you feel as though you’re being tested and tried? How can you positively assess the situation to see what the Lord is trying to strengthen in you? I know it’s not easy, and sometimes you can’t even fathom how some things are working out for your good. In those moments I encourage you to continue to stand on the word of God and your integrity. Lean into the Holy Spirit and once you’ve past through the storm you can look back and see the fruit of the spirit and the character that the Lord has built within you.
Love always,
Amber
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