Valleys: Find Courageous Conviction in Life’s Lows预览

Staying Brave When the Odds Are Against You

I wonder if you’ve ever felt like the odds are against you—like you’re facing a giant too great. Maybe bravery feels too hard, too exhausting. If you aren’t currently in a valley that requires staying brave, you will be soon—opposition is part of the human condition. Whatever your odds, you will find encouragement and boldness in the Valley of Elah.

In the Old Testament books 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, we learn that the Israelite monarchy had its advantages but didn’t come close to God’s kingship. The Israelite monarchy created seasons of stability where the people of God were obedient to his commands and cared for by their king. Still, ultimately, the system failed as leadership failed. As all forms of government do, the monarchy exposed that the people of God needed the King of all kings to rule with love and justice.

King David was the best-known ruler of Israel of all the Israelite kings. David wasn’t born a royal. He was the baby of his family and grew up as a lowly shepherd tending his flocks. If you are unfamiliar with King David’s rise to power, the whole story is fascinating, and you should check it out. But we’ll zoom in on one part in particular: an encounter David had with a giant named Goliath in the valley of Elah (1 Samuel 17).

If you are fearful, insecure, overwhelmed, intimidated, discouraged, and defeated, know this: You are in a battle, in a valley. This low point in your life might feel like war—even if it’s not a visible war with a tangible enemy, like the army of Israel faced.

I can only imagine that as Goliath taunted the Israelites with his towering strength, inching toward the battle lines with his shield bearer, the men lined up in formation felt as though they would faint. Dismayed and terrified, the Israelites must have been frozen by fear.

When I sense I’m freezing up in battle; knees locked, about to faint from fear, I think of David’s bravery. David’s courage in the Valley of Elah is a clarion call to you and me: We are not asked to win in our own strength but to use what little we have and trust God with the victory. The battle is the Lord’s, after all.

Perhaps someone in your life has spoken harmful words over you like Goliath did to David. Maybe you’ve been told you’re nothing, worthless, a mess, hopeless. Your bullies weaponize your deficiencies or conjure up lies. Whatever their tactics, their words can be a broken record in your mind, replaying you’re too much or not enough or alone or unwanted.

Take heart. David knows your pain. He shows us what it is to ignore the shouts and lies and trust God for the victory. With God’s power, you can too.

Prayer: God, Help me to hear your voice louder and more clearly than the shouts of those who speak against me — whether people, circumstances or my own thoughts. I want to trust and act upon what you say. In Jesus’ name, Amen