Time Out! Devotions

A Prescription for Dealing With Difficult Circumstances

When we were children, we heard the story of how David fought and defeated a Philistine giant named Goliath. We also learned that the shepherd boy did not achieve victory with sophisticated weapons of warfare. A homemade sling and five river-stones were the sum of his arsenal. Naturally speaking, there is no way he should have won.

You may find yourself in a situation similar to the one David faced. Perhaps you have obeyed God for many years but are now facing a scary and difficult problem: bankruptcy, foreclosure, separation, even death. God often uses challenges like these to stretch and strengthen our faith in Him.

We’ve heard the Bible story so many times that it can lose its relevance. But if we look beneath the surface, we’ll find a prescription for dealing with difficult circumstances.

Respond in faith. David saw the battle in spiritual terms from the very start: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). Rather than focusing on the problem that lay before him, he placed the Lord at the center of his circumstances.

Rely on God’s strength. When the young shepherd confronted Goliath, he immediately recalled his past victories and the Lord’s faithfulness to him. He remembered how, with divine help, he successfully fought and killed a bear and a lion. He did not allow negative thoughts to sow seeds of fear in him, but instead faced the challenge with godly perspective.

Fight the battle mentally before you step onto the battlefield. Even before taking any action, David rehearsed what he was going to do to Goliath.

Reaffirm that the battle is not yours, but God’s. David made a strong profession of faith: “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted” (v. 45).

Reckon the victory even before you see it coming. God will do what He has promised, despite the odds.

Finally, wait for God’s timing. It is perfect. Resist the urge to rush ahead in your own strength. When you choose to let God handle your toughest challenges, He will bring deliverance in ways you never imagined.

(from the October 2009 issue of In Touch magazine)