Run to the Giant

Have you ever found yourself doubting your abilities? Doubting your ability to use your God given talents effectively? I recently found myself in this predicament. 

It was early morning, as I sat by the ocean, watching the waves crash on the shore. A beautiful, cool sea breeze was blowing and there was no sound apart from the sounds of the ocean and the occasional bird calling as it flew by. 

I had come down to the beach early, to get alone with the Lord and pray about the lesson I was going to be teaching to a group of ladies in a couple of hours. I was struggling with doubt and worry. Yes, I had prepared what I thought God would have me teach, but upon meeting the group I would be teaching, I began to have doubts about whether or not the words  the Lord had given me were actually what He would have me say. 

I began to pray earnestly and seek the scriptures for encouragement and assurance that I was heading in the direction the Lord would have me go. I was so unsure. I began to doubt myself. My ability to speak.

 Who was I to think that I could speak to a group of ladies of every age, and from vastly different backgrounds? What could I possibly have to teach them that they hadn’t already heard? What about those who seemed to be unteachable? What about those who had walked with the Lord for far longer than I? Would I be able to explain my points effectively? Would they be able to learn something from what God had given me to teach? Would they even listen?

Yes, I had taken my eyes off the Lord and started focusing on the circumstances and the people around me. Never a wise thing to do. Remember Peter? 

Matthew 14:29-31 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

As soon as Peter took his eyes off the Lord and looked at the waves, he began to sink. And the Lord rebuked him for his lack of faith. 

My doubting was a lack of faith. So, as I sat there, praying earnestly for the Lord to come through for me and give me peace in my heart, I opened up my Bible app on my phone to read some words of comfort. 

It’s strange how God works in mysterious ways, because every time I tried to open my Bible app and search for the verse, the app crashed. This happened at least 5 times. And each and every time, without fail, it would open up to the same passage. And it was not even the passage I had been searching for. 

I’m a bit thick, so the Lord had to do it a few times before I realised that maybe, just maybe (there I go, doubting again), God had something in this passage that I needed to hear. 

Here is the passage that my Bible app kept opening to. 

Deuteronomy 1:28-30 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

Wow! Talk about God making it clear! I needed the Lord to fight for me as I felt so incapable of teaching the lesson I had prepared. But God knew that it was exactly what I was supposed to teach and that I just needed a little push and a little reminder that he would be with me.  

Of course, I couldn’t do it in my own strength. I needed his help. And I needed to be reminded that he would lead and guide as I taught, and that he would put the words in my mouth that needed to be said. All my hours of study amounted to nothing if I didn’t rely on him and his power to go before me. 

I didn’t need to be afraid of the waves. The Lord would go before me if I kept my gaze wholly upon him. If I just trusted him to speak for me. 

I prayed and cried to God to increase my faith and to guide and direct every word that would come out of my mouth. 

After my doubt and worry had been replaced with faith and trust, I text mum to share with her of God’s grace and goodness to me at this particular moment,  and she gave me a piece of advice that I haven’t been able to get out of my head, even though weeks have passed since this incident. She told me to “run to the giant”, just as David did when he took on the insurmountable task of killing Goliath, the feared Philistine warrior. 

Run to the giant

1 Samuel 17:48-49 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

When David went to meet with Goliath and the time came to make his move, he didn’t cower in fear, he didn’t hesitate, he was sure of God’s direction and he was sure of God’s protection. He ran to the giant! And the Lord delivered him into David’s hand.

 The Lord came through. No matter how far removed the possibility of success seems from our vantage point, God will come through. And God doesn’t just come through for the mighty, he comes through for all of us! 

And that day on the beach, as I doubted my calling, God came through for me. He gave me encouragement through his Word and then through his people. God often brings people into our lives to help encourage us to keep on the path God has us on. They cheer us on and bring words of wisdom to help strengthen our tired arms, lift our weary heads and turn our eyes back onto the Lord Jesus. 

Does anyone have any giants in their lives? Then run to them! Don’t be afraid to do what God is calling you to do. If he is calling you to do it, then he will equip you for it. When you are sure of God’s direction, then don’t hesitate. Run to the giant!  And when the job is done, give God all the glory, for without him, you can do nothing! 

I was able to teach my lesson that day without the fear of man, without doubt and with faith in God that he would not let his word return void. 

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Whether or not the ladies grasped hold of the principles I taught that day, I was taught a valuable lesson in faith and trust. God showed me that although I may doubt my own talents and abilities, he is able to uphold and strengthen me when I am at my weakest. He is able to use me, despite my failings, fumblings and fears to accomplish things for him and bring glory to his name. 

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.