The Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.(1 Samuel 17:10,11)
Trials are as old as humanity. They are part of life, and all of us will face them. Some trials are giants. While there are many questions we could ask about life’s difficult seasons, the most relevant question is this: When trials come, how will I respond?
The verses cited above refer to a time in ancient Israel when a giant named Goliath single-handedly defied the armies of Israel and the God they served.
How did Israel respond? The Bible tells us that King Saul and the Israelite army were dismayed and terrified. Fortunately for Israel, one man had a different response. His name was David.
David didn’t run from this trial. He stood and embraced it. He sought the Lord’s help as he challenged the 9-foot giant in a fight to the death. With God’s help, David prevailed and won a tremendous victory for Saul and the nation of Israel.
David did several things that worked together to give him victory. But nothing was more crucial than placing his trust in the Lord. Consider his words spoken to Goliath immediately before the fight:
You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.(1 Samuel 17:45,46)
When trials come, and they surely will, place your trust in the Lord to help you.
In the early 1980s my family and I traveled to Alton, Mo., to preach at a Palm Sunday morning service. Following church, we were invited to have lunch with a Vietnam veteran, a Marine. I don’t recall his name, but I’ll never forget him or the dinner we had with them that day.
This Marine had faced many trials in his life, but his response to one particular challenge has impacted me until this day. You see, this Marine has lost both legs in combat. He had only stumps, so short that prostheses were out of the question. At church I had seen him in a wheelchair. When we drove to his home following church, we saw something quite different.
As we arrived at his home, his wife greeted us warmly. About five minutes later the Marine appeared, his body and clothes wet with perspiration. We quickly learned why. He had just climbed down from the roof of his house where he had been putting finishing touches on the new roof he had installed during the previous week. Yes, he had shingled his entire roof by himself! This man without legs was hardly a disabled veteran.
He quickly excused himself to get cleaned up. Looking like an Olympic gymnast, he shot up the stairs on his hands. His heavily muscled arms propelled him up the stairs as easily as most normal people climb stairs with their legs.
Over dinner, this veteran exuded thanksgiving to God for his life, never once mentioning a word about the loss of his legs. He faced this trial with faith and courage. Through God’s strength, he was a champion.
Let David’s example and the example of this brave Marine encourage you to face your trials squarely by turning to God for strength. You can trust Him with your cares. God helped David conquer a giant. He helped a veteran Marine gain victory over his wounds. He will surely help you.
