Life’s Boot Camp

1 Samuel 17: ³³ Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, ³⁵ I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. ³⁷ The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

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“Get up and go see the dean” was the thought that popped in my head as I was sitting balled up on my couch in despair after failing out of school. “Get up and work hard” was the voice I heard as I sat on my couch licking my wounds after being rejected for the job I wanted.

“Get up and do something” was the voice of someone as I traveled the murky road of being in transition for the first time in my career. What is my lesson during disappointing times?

• Sometimes I fail and it seems very difficult.
• Sometimes I fall on my face and it hurts.
• Sometimes I can’t see a bright future so I just want to sit and do nothing.

Life can deliver some difficult punches and I have been through many. It seems like as soon as I get my footing another blow knocks me down and I sit on the ground wondering if I should just stay there. BUT GOD wants more for me.

• GOD allows trials in my life for training purposes.
• GOD allows obstacles in my life to grow and mature me.
• GOD allows difficulty in my life so I can empathize with others to bring them to HIS kingdom.

In every difficult situation, GOD has said to me “Get UP!” Looking back, each situation seemed bleak but HE delivered me and gave me a story to talk to others who have been in the same situation. I can encourage people and explain the wonders of GOD. HE delivers and that grows my faith!

• Are you tired of your situation?
• Do you feel like giving up?
• Can you explain to others how GOD has delivered you in the past and HE will deliver you now?
• Won’t you mature in your faith and trust GOD today?