I Samuel 17:50 "So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David."
What is the greatest problem you have in your life right now? Life would be great without all the problems! While we all can understand that sentiment, I am not so sure life would be grand without problems. In I Samuel 17, David teaches us that you rise to your potential when you rise to your problems. If you had no problems, your potential would never be discovered! God sees potential-what we can be by His power and grace. God-sent problems are often the very avenues by which we reach our God-given potential.
How do you rise to your problems? First, don't let the enemy define you. It is hard to win when you let the enemy dictate the terms of battle. That is exactly what Goliath was doing to Israel! He said, "Give me a man, that we may fight together." (verse 10) Goliath may have been bigger than any man in Israel, but don't you reckon that he was still smaller than all of Israel together? Israel was limited by the rules of engagement that the enemy gave to them. Too often, we buy the world's rules about what we can or cannot do, instead of living by what God has said. Don't let the enemy define you.
Secondly, don't let your friends define you. The army of Israel defined David by his age. David's own brother, Eliab, questioned his motive. King Saul dismissed David, calling him "the stripling." David was taking on "friendly fire" long before he went to battle Goliath! You can either let things like your age and background define you, or you can let your actions define you. David refused to let his youth define him; his actions with a sling and a rock spoke pretty loudly!
Thirdly, allow God to define your potential and to prepare your life. David was a son (verse 12), a servant (verse 34), a shepherd (verses 36-37), and a soldier (verses 42-51). David was what he was supposed to be, where he was supposed to be, when he was supposed to be there! As he did the mundane tasks of a son/servant/shepherd, God was preparing him to battle giants. Before David could lead a nation, he had to lead sheep. Before he could kill a giant, he had to kill a lion and a bear.
In your life, you rise to your potential as you rise to your problems. Are you fulfilling your God-given potential? Don't see problems as discouraging burdens; see problems as avenues that God uses to help you meet your potential. Before you can kill giants, you may have to face a lion and a bear!
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