How do you slay your giants?
Are you familiar with the story of David in Goliath in 1 Samuel in the bible? If you are skip ahead, if not let me tell you about him.
David was a shepherd boy sent by his father Jesse, to check on his older brothers who served in the Israelite army. When David arrived he watched as soldiers ran from a giant of a man who served the Philistine army. His name was Goliath. He was huge–a giant to the Israelite army and he made fun of God’s army.
David who had slain large animals to protect his family’s sheep took the challenge to defend God’s army. With a rock and and a slingshot he took down that giant and the Philistines became slaves to Israel.
You can read the full story in 1 Samuel chapter 17.
We all have giants in our lives—not usually people and please if you do—don’t get a slingshot and rock to take care of the problem!
Today giants take different forms and we have to learn to take them down. But how do we do that?
Prayer is the best place to start. When I ask for guidance about my giants it seems that God opens my eyes and I discover that not all of my problems are as big as I make them out to be. That God has equipped me to handle the overwhelming to-do list, the big project I’ve begun or just figuring out what I’m making for dinner. *yes sometimes that is the biggest giant of all for me!
Other days my eyes are opened to the heartbreaking problems others have and I realize at this moment my giant is a very small thing.
I have a friend who is waiting for heart transplant for his daughter.
I have a friend with ALS.
I have a friend trained as a Chaplin who heart is breaking because she wants to help those in need but can’t find a position.
When I look at those true giants I know that I’ve faced some of my own– Seeing my first husband die from cancer, losing 3 brothers all before I reached age of 30 and having a father that left us and didn’t come back when I was 15.
Those were hard and yet I survived, I changed and my faith grew.
Are all my giants gone?
I don’t think so as long as I’m leaving on earth as one of God’s people there will always be someone that wants me to go away. There will always be a tragic incident around the corner. It’s what I do with those that will make the difference.
If I choose to be like David and step out with the faith of God the biggest giant of all, the evil one will not win.
How do you handle your giants?
Please check out the other giant posts!
Like you said, Diana, prayer is key. For me, I’ve discovered time is also of utmost importance. As I’ve journeyed from my ideal Point A (or so I thought it to be) to Point B (where I am today), God has been there every step of the way. I’m only now beginning to realize some of what the journey had to be. God stopped me dead in my tracks, with nowhere to turn and no way to change my circumstances because I needed to STOP my busyness and reallly hear His voice. In the isolation and purposelessness of the days, He was there. He has brought me to a place where I more readily praise and thank Him for each day rather than rail against the unfairness of life. I am letting go of the hurt and forgiving the ones who caused it. I’ve learned that I am NEVER truly alone, as He is with me, even on the days where I am at the depths of despair. I am more at peace now than I have ever been; a peace not based on circumstances but base on His love and constant care for me. It’s a good place to be.
Jane, I should have asked you to write this post. You added an element I hadn’t considered much–time. I’m a “want it now” person and if I don’t get an answer from God right way I figure it must be my job to figure it out. Funny, looking back on the last year I too have been stopped in my tracks…I need to take some more time and re-evaluate what I missed.
Blessings,
Diana
Great thoughts, Diana. It sounds like we had a similar bent for the word this week. 🙂
Aha Jodie, great minds? 🙂
Blessings,
Diana