From the archives of Evelyn Roberts – First of two parts
Have you ever lost something that mattered to you as much as life itself? I’ve felt that way several times in my life. In 1 Samuel 30, we read about one very powerful incident when David felt that way, too.
David was given refuge by a Philistine prince named Achish during a time when King Saul had determined to kill David. Achish gave David the entire town of Ziklag as his own, for his family and flocks and for those who were following him and their families and flocks. In return, David helped Achish win many battles.
One time, however, when David volunteered to help Achish, the other Philistine prince didn’t want David to go along. So David and his men returned to Ziklag. There, they found that while they had been away, an enemy had come to their city, burned it completely, and had taken all of their women and children as captives. Nothing that mattered to David and his men remained. All was lost.
David was deeply distressed. And his soldiers, in their grief, started talking about stoning him. David had lost everything he cared about, and now, he was in danger of losing his own life. What did David do? What can we do when tragedy strikes our lives? The Bible says, “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6)
Very often when problems come the last thing we think to do is to turn to God and “encourage ourselves in Him” — yet, that is the first step we must take if we are to overcome our problem!
Other people may try to encourage you, and that helps. But true encouragement comes when we encourage ourselves in the Lord — when we remind ourselves of the Lord’s goodness to us, when we read His Word, when we listen to music that lifts up Jesus, when we come to know, once again, that God is our ultimate Source, and He is a sure and everlasting Father who loves us beyond measure.
Are you discouraged today? Is a problem coming against your life? Choose to turn to the Lord. He will give you the courage and faith to believe for something good to come from your problem.