September 10
2018
Strengthen Yourself in the Lord
Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.1 Sam 30:6
David and the men came back to the city of Ziglag to find that the Amalekites had invaded, burned the city and taken the people captive (including their wives and children).
The people were in distress and spoke of stoning David.
David finds himself in the midst of a difficult situation.
Not only were his wives and children taken by the Amalekites, but now the men blamed him and wanted to kill him.
What does David do?
“But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
It doesn’t say that David sought out his best friends and asked their advice or asked them to pray.
It doesn’t say that David posted all his concerns on social media.
It doesn’t say that David found solace in his work.
It doesn’t say that David sought to drown his sorrows in any variety of things that people often do. No.
It says very clearly,
“But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
And that is what we must learn to do.
We must learn to first take our concerns to the Lord.
He is our God and He is waiting for us to bring those concerns to Him.
He has an answer for every concern.
He has a direction for every path.
He has a comfort for every sorrow.
There is nothing we can take to Him that He doesn’t have a response for.
Sometimes when we are in the midst of a situation, it is a hard thing to take the time to sit quietly and seek the Lord.
We want to be active, to fix, to solve things ourselves.
But in waiting on the Lord we will find not only the comfort for our hearts but a clearer direction for our paths.
That way we will have a better sense of how to direct our actions.
Are you in the middle of a difficult situation today?
Before you do anything else, make the choice to
“strengthen [yourself] in the Lord [your] God”.