Strengthen Yourself in the Lord

"David was greatly distressed because the men

were talking of stoning him;

each one was bitter in spirit 

because of his sons and daughters.

But David found strength in the LORD his God."

1 Samuel 30:6

Things seemed about as bad as they could get.  Their homes were destroyed by fire and all their loved ones had been taken captive.  Not one living soul remained in the city when the men returned.  The weeping was loud that day and the men even considered stoning their beloved leader.  As distressed and desperate as David must have felt, he took strength in the Lord.

I, too, can find strength in the midst of heartache and strife when I rely on the Lord.  (Isaiah 40:31)  As I depend on Him to fight my battle for me, the strength I draw will guide me forward.

Seek God's Wisdom

My dad often tells of the time when he converted our garage into a family room and extra bedroom without using any written plans or diagrams.  Instead of relying on precise measurements and calculations to determine how to build the addition, he went by instinct, using estimation and his eye to judge how to proceed.  In the end, it turned out pretty well.

While this job may have ended in good results for my dad, life is a bit more complicated than a construction project.  It boggles the mind to consider all the people, circumstances and details that must fall into place in order for my life to proceed smoothly.  Taking into account the complexity of life, it is obvious that there is a master plan behind it all.  

Therefore, if I want to know what path I am meant to take, it is vital that I develop a close relationship with the Master Planner.  Without Him, life is simply a series of coincidences based on luck.  To find out what God's purpose is for this day, then, I must seek Him wholeheartedly, believing that He is my one and only hope. (Jeremiah 29:11-13) When I look for Him in such a sincere and heartfelt way, I will find Him.  And with Him, I will discover the next step He has planned for me to take.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When it seems there is no way out and my life is headed down a path of destruction through no fault of my own, I can draw my strength from the Lord, believing He has a purpose for the mess in which I'm currently surrounded.  When I don't have a clue where to go next and my days seem like an exercise in futility, I can turn to God for encouragement, trusting that He has designed a purpose that lies behind the apparent pointlessness that is my life.  When everything I love has been taken away, it's easy to think God doesn't care.  If I open myself up to Him, however, and let Him comfort me, I will find the reason behind the suffering.

As I strengthen myself in the Lord, I will find it necessary to seek God's wisdom in how to proceed.

Use What God Provides

God had given him the go-ahead to conduct a rescue operation.  He had been assured that the mission would be a success.  Still, when it came time to cross over into enemy territory, he lost some of his men to exhaustion.  Could he really save his family as well as all the other women and children with only 400 men?  (1 Samuel 30:9-10)

When it comes to trusting in God, my faith is based on God's integrity not on the depth of my own resources.  It is rooted in God's ability not in my own.  It is found in God's faithfulness not on my own strength.  Therefore, I can move forward in confidence down the path on which God is leading me even if it seems I'm ill-equipped, unprepared or weak and feeble.  

As I walk in faith, then, it is necessary that I use what God has provided, no matter how thin it may seem.  If God is leading me to start a ministry but only supplied one person to help, I can step out in faith knowing that one is enough.  If God is guiding me toward a new career field but it is way outside of my area of expertise, I can walk forward confidently knowing that He will be my source of knowledge.  If God is turning me toward a cross-country relocation but I have no resources to make such a move, I can take steps toward that goal knowing that when the time is right, He will supply what is necessary.

As I strengthen myself in the Lord, I will find it necessary to proceed with what God provides.

Watch for His Hand

It seemed strange, this solitary Egyptian laying in the field.  He was weak with hunger and thirst, eagerly taking in the sustenance offered by David.  "From where do you come?  Who are your people? "  David asks, curious as to this man's whereabouts.  

"I'm the slave of an Amalekite who abandoned me here when I grew sick three days ago." (1 Samuel 30:11-14)

Soon, the reason for this man's presence became apparent.  The discarded slave led David and his men to the very people who had abducted their families.  Without this man, they may not have found their enemy so easily.  Without David's heart of compassion that led him to reach out to the foreigner, they may not have discovered the greater purpose for the slave's presence.

Who has God placed in my life that seems like an inconvenience but could in fact be a vessel of His mercy? What difficulty has God allowed into my life which appears to be nothing but a source of suffering but could in fact be the conduit of God's grace?  What struggle am I now facing which looks like just another obstacle to negotiate but could in fact be a tool used by the Master Potter to fashion me into the image of His Son? (Romans 8:28-29)

As I step forward in faith down the path which God reveals for me, using what He so graciously provides, it is important that I pay attention to signs that will point me in His direction.  While it is easy to use my own common sense to help me decide what to do, or go by advice given by godly people, it is vital to my walk of faith that I look for His sovereign work that is going on all around me.  

If I believe He is constantly at work, I will find His markers that will guide me forward.  If I think I'm left to my own devices, I will never notice how He is using people, circumstances and obstacles to direct my paths.

As I strengthen myself in the Lord, I will find it necessary to heed the Lord's direction that may come in unexpected ways.

Life is full of times when I will weep and mourn as David did upon discovering the fate of his family.  When such difficulties occur, I can strengthen myself in the Lord; seeking His wisdom, using what He provides and watching for His sovereign hand at work.  In so doing I will discover the joy of relying on the Lord for my strength.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to seek Him and Him alone.

When do I turn elsewhere to find guidance instead of trusting only in the Lord?

How am I ignorant of God's hand in my life?