Have you ever experienced the giants of Monday morning? You go to bed on Sunday night dreading getting up the next day, because you know the problems you have in store for the week. I remember one place I worked, early every Monday morning we had an officers’ meeting. I hated going to bed on Sunday night because I knew what the next morning would bring. I would have nightmares concerning the job. This became a giant of a problem for me and almost made me sick. Finally I quit and found a job I enjoyed.
The problems we have in this life, if we let them, can grow into giants. How do we handle them? Most of the time our fearful thoughts make them look so large, that we become afraid. Let’s go to the Bible and see what happened to one giant.
Who hasn’t heard the story of David and Goliath? This is one of the first stories taught in Sunday school to little children. We read about this in 1 Samuel chapter 17. Saul and the men of Israel are in battle against the Philistines. In verses 4-7 we are introduced to Goliath’s size and how heavily he was equipped for battle. He issues a challenge to the armies of Israel in verses 8-10 and verse 11 tells us, Saul and all Israel were dismayed and greatly afraid. That is, when Goliath appeared, they were shattered and had much fear.
You notice in verse 16, Goliath presented himself forty days , morning and evening. I imagine every time he saw Saul and the men of Israel fleeing, his confidence was strengthened. When do most of your troublesome thoughts appear to you? Is it not morning and evening? When you try to flee from them, does this give them strength over you? If given time, our problems can wear us down to the point we do not know which way to turn. Saul and the men of Israel fled from Goliath instead of facing him. The solution to get rid of him was with them all the time , but they did not recognize it.
God showed them, and us, something that day. They could not present a champion to challenge Goliath. God chose one for them, and in verse 28 we read of David’s older brother’s anger toward David.
David was not afraid in facing Goliath, because he had faith in God. He trusted in God and did not forget what God had already done for him. Read verse 37. David’s faith and trust in God had previously been tested. God delivered him from the paw of the lion and bear, and he knew God would do the same with this Philistine.
God surprised the men of Israel by removing Goliath with a shepherd boy and one stone. Do you think the brother’s of David would have sent for David to come and kill Goliath? I don’t think so. Sometimes God shows us His glory by choosing one, who we think is weak, to bring glory to Him and His people.
Look what a shepherd boy did by having faith and trust in God. He removed a problem for the army of Israel and this gave them the courage to pursue and defeat the Philistines.
David stood up for God and what seemed impossible was made possible. Can only one make a difference by standing up for God’s commands? Does Chick-fil- A ring a bell?
I don’t need to turn my small negative thoughts into giants. Fearing them and running from them will do this very thing. We need to have the faith and trust in God as David, and expect God to deliver our giants into our hands in a way we could never imagine.
Thanks for reading. Let God help you defeat your giants today. Please send comments to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com .
I need your help. I am thinking about having this blog published as a devotional book for families or bible classes. I will add scripture and questions at the end of each story and will sell as an ebook or paperback.
What are your thoughts? Also, please invite others to read my blog. You have been so encouraging over the last year. I am sorry I can't post something each day. Right now time will not permit. I enjoy doing this so much and look for the day I can do this full time.
Thanks again!
Rick Hepler
