Giants

   Most likely we all know the story of David and Goliath. A young boy, not particularly large in stature, defeats the mightiest worrier of a fierce enemy. What David lacked in size, he made up for in faith. Some would say that the story of David against the giant is just that, a story. A parable, told to energize the masses, and motivate the outmatched armies throughout history. Regardless of what you believe, it is a story told of an undeniably courageous young man, whose faith in his God was stronger than his self doubt and fear. When everyone around him was at a loss for what to do, or where to run, he knew exactly who would give him the strength and wisdom to slay Goliath. For David, it was a life changing experience. His trust in God, brought out the real leader in him, and eventually lead to his procession to the throne.
    Every day, each of us battle against our own 'giant'. Illness, addiction, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, the list is endless, and the pain it represents is devastating. It's how we choose to address this giant of ours that sets us apart from the rest of the world. I usually choose to face my battles head on, but some of them you never see coming. Courage and faith can be powerful allies when you are at war with depression, indecision, or fear; when placed in the right hands they help us to rise above our weakness. God says he will never forget about us, that he will never leave us all alone, and always wants the best for us. With that in mind, those 'giants' don't seem as huge or indestructible, but they are still in our lives. God doesn't always remove our pain, or rescue us from the situation that we are in, but He does promise to help us in it, to carry us through it if necessary. I occasionally imagine that as we struggle with pain or loss, Jesus is right there crying with us tear for tear. Not that He is helpless like we think we are, but because He understands our sadness, and doubt, and He knows that grief and expressing those feelings, is part of the process of dealing with them.
     The good news is that we don't have to be frozen in place by life's anxieties, or crippled by fear of the unknown. David placed his trust in a God that he knew, without a doubt, had his back. He may not have known how he would be able to triumph against the bully, but he knew that God called him to try. In our lives, I think that's the important thought, God calls us to believe in Him, have faith, and try. It's not a guarantee that all your problems will go away, David's didn't. However faith does come with a promise that you are not alone in your trials, and a very loving friend in Jesus, the Son of God Himself, will be at your side for every step of of your journey.
     We will all face tests of our faith, and trials of suffering, grief or doubt; the question is, will you follow the example of a small boy serving God against the odds to conquer his battle, or will you go it all alone. Being a strong-willed child, I have attempted the "all alone" method many times, and I can tell you, it has never ended well. It usually ends up with me in a bigger mess than when I started, and I still need someones help to get out of it. Our life is full of times when we feel that our problems and situations are too big for us to deal with, and that is true. But as children of God we are not left to deal with anything on our own, and nothing is too big (or small) for God. All of our struggles, victories and failures, God uses to make us stronger. He molds us through each experience into to men and women that He wants us to be; someone that He can then use to bring someone else closer to Him. Take courage and have faith, when you are the most fearful and full of doubt, remember that God is just a prayer away to help you face your giant.

1 Samuel 17:45 (MES)
Randy

(revised 6-18-2016 - originally written: 2012)