ENCOURAGE YOURSELF

1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David ENCOURAGED HIMSELF in the Lord his God.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!  YOU CAN LIVE FOR GOD ANYWHERE AND UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!!!

Talk about a bad day; talk about your friends forsaking you; talk about standing all alone…life was coming at David fast and furious and soon it could even include some well-aimed stones.  David had arrived home with his team of mighty men to find that not only had the city been invaded and burned by the enemy but all of their wives, sons and daughters had been taken captive.  Instead of the men having an Emergency Strategy Session to formulate a plan to rescue their families; they turned their pain to anger against David, their leader.  I’m not sure how STONING would help their captured women and children, but deep pain is rarely rational.

How was David going to handle this situation?  Write a Psalm begging God to save him?  Maybe!  Run and hide from his angry men?  The thought probably occurred to him.  Take the anger directed at him and transfer it as blame toward God?  Not for a moment!!!  DAVID HAD A HISTORY WITH GOD!

This was the same God who gave him songs as he sat on the hillside with his sheep.  The same God who gave him the strength to slay the lion and the bear as they attacked the flocks…yeah but the lion and the bear couldn’t pick up stones.  It was the same God that directed the stone from David’s sing toward Goliath to deliver Israel from its adversary.  It was the same God that had sent Samuel to anoint him, in his youth, to one day be king.  It was the same God that had preserved him all the years from King Saul’s anger and jealousy.  SO…David stepped forth, surrounded by his God-history, focused on the Heavens and ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN THE LORD!!!

BEEN THERE, well not really…my family has not been carried into captivity and my friends are not standing in front of my home with stones in their hands…but I have felt forsaken and all alone.  Looking back over my life, I think of the cities God has placed us in that did not have churches.  Then He placed us in churches that did not have people.  Stones were not flying but they may have been easier to deflect than the woman who stuck her fingers in her ears, so she didn’t have to hear me play the piano or the person who refused to play the drums, if I was doing the music.  OR maybe it was the families who left because we didn’t have all of the “big church” programs or the pastor who sabotaged our efforts and lied to us or maybe it was the congregation that told us to start another church in town because they no longer wanted us to be their pastor.

And I could continue…But you see, I HAVE A HISTORY WITH GOD and I made up my mind to BE FAITHFUL TO THE ONE WHO HAS NEVER FAILED and I learned to ENCOURAGE MYSELF IN THE LORD!!!

YOU CAN DO IT!!! YOU CAN LIVE FOR GOD ANYWHERE AND UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!

You may feel all alone; Jesus will be your Friend, your Mother, Father, Sister, or Brother; no one will love you like Jesus.  You may feel that you are in the midst of a storm; He will come to your storm, even if it means walking on the water; He will calm the waves and still your storm.  You may feel betrayed and wounded; He will soothe your breaking heart and bind up your wounds; Jesus has been there too.  Look back over your history with God.

ENCOURAGE YOURSELF IN THE LORD!!!

Just a few minutes in His Presence makes all the difference.  Your circumstances may NOT change, but your view of those circumstances will be very different and YOU WILL BE ENCOURAGED to continue your journey.