David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
1 Samuel 17:32:
Unexpected struggles occur every day. As Christians, the Bible gives us guidance to overcome those struggles and problems.
Christian musician Rich Mullins wrote, “David didn’t kill Goliath because he set out to slay giants. He set out to give sandwiches to his brothers, and Goliath got in the way.” David was obeying his father, and surely did not expect to deal with the battle between the Israelites and the Philistines. Goliath happened though, and David had to deal with it.
David did not run away from this struggle. He embraced it and honored God when none of his fellow Israelites were able to do what was necessary. David bravely accepted the task and stood up for what was right. Like the Godly warrior he was, David boldly faced this gigantic problem head-on.
In 1 Samuel 17:45, David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
What struggles do you face every day? Where do you find yourself needing to stand up for God and what is right? It may not be something as big and scary as Goliath, but it can still be frightening in its own way. Maybe someone in school is bullying a smaller kid. Maybe someone is asking you to help them cheat on their homework or test. If you are an adult, maybe a coworker is trying to get you to engage in gossip or inappropriate conversations. These can be scary situations because sometimes it is hard to stand up for what’s right and tell people no.
Have no fear though, because God is on your side when you are living boldly and honoring him. The Bible says in Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” When you choose to honor God and stand up for him, you are showing the world that what God thinks is most important.
Will the bully get mad at you? Maybe. Will the child who wanted you to help him be angry with you for saying no? Maybe. Will your coworker tease you or gossip about you if you don’t join in the conversation? Maybe. Don’t let these worries bother you. The Bible says in James 1:2-3: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
The more you stand-up for God and what is right, the easier it will become. Just like constantly working out builds strong muscles, constantly standing up for God against temptation builds strong Christian character. Today find ways that you can honor God by standing up for Him.
Pray that God will give you the strength to stand up for Him when you are faced with struggles and temptation.
