Strengthen Yourself in the Lord
... But David found strength in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:6
We all have a strength or two in which we are confident. You might identify being good with finances, music, art, education, technology, sports, or something totally different. It is a good feeling to know that you have few skills that will help you.
How did you get those abilities? I would imagine that it took some trial and error on your part. Maybe you tried your hand at all kinds of things and failed miserably until you found your niche. When you found it, you probably did not become strong in it overnight! It took lots of practice, guidance, coaching, failures and more practice, didn’t it?
So, which came first, your skills or your faith in a loving Father who gave you those gifts? To be quite honest, my passion for music started with my family who was always singing and harmonizing every time we got in the car. My passion for teaching came from a second-grade teacher who brought education alive for me. My love for writing came from a tough old advanced writing teacher who harped incessantly about commas and dangling participles.
At one time I tried to be a cheerleader. I had the school spirit but not the body, so that was not a good fit for me at all. Another time I joined at UFO club (yes, unidentified flying objects) but that was just too techy for me. Somehow, I seemed to fit better in after-school Bible club, drama, band and chorus.
We have all tried to find a sense of belonging in things where we do not fit. For me, everything always came back to my faith. As my faith grew stronger, my talents improved—especially when I used them for His purposes.
King David messed things up royally! At times, his leadership skills were charismatic and other times, people wanted to stone him. There were moments when he failed miserably but he always had a strong come back. David strengthened himself in the Lord.
How do we do that? Well, when things fall apart, come back to Him. We might have missed something important. Seek forgiveness and become humble. Thank Him for your skills. Ask Him to guide you in His perfect way.
In His Presence, you will find strength.
Father God, thank You for forgiving our foolish ways. Teach us to run to You, our Refuge and Source of all Strength. AMEN.