Goliath Moment

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
—Psalm 57:1-2

After my treatment ended several years ago and my life changed dramatically, I thought I knew what God wanted me to do. I felt His anointing on me for ministry, and specifically for a certain area of ministry. At first, everything fell into place. I felt forward momentum, a strong confirmation of my calling, and a taste of walking in my destiny. Then, everything seemed to come to a halt. Every move I made toward my calling, I came against a brick wall. There were “border bullies” at every turn. I began to feel like King David with my one “Goliath moment” and then relegated to the caves for 13 years. In some areas of my ministry calling, I’m still hiding in the caves.

David was anointed King of Israel but he had to wait for years to realize God’s promise. The calling itself was unmistakable. When God sent the Prophet Samuel to Jesse’s house to anoint his son king, the Lord rejected the first seven sons Jesse presented. Finally, Samuel ordered the youngest son, David, to come in from the field where he was tending the sheep. Samuel knew immediately this was God’s chosen one. He poured olive oil on his head and anointed him king on the spot and the “Lord came upon him from that day on” (1 Samuel 16:13).

Soon after, David had his moment of glory.  When the Philistine and Israelite armies faced each other for battle, Goliath, the Philistine giant, challenged the Israelites to settle their dispute with a single combat. David, armed only with his shepherd’s staff, his sling, and five smooth stones, faced Goliath’s taunting threats: “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” (1 Samuel 17:45-47). And the Lord did. With a single stone from his sling, David toppled the giant and then killed him with his own sword.

After his triumph over Goliath, David must have had no doubt his anointing was for real. Then everything came to a halt. Saul, the current king of Israel, had deliberately disobeyed and lost favor with God. When Saul realized David would become the next king, he became jealous and obsessed with killing David. David spent the next 13 years running for his life. He wrote many of the Psalms during this time of hiding in caves and waiting for God to act. When we read his raw emotions as he cries out to God for mercy, there is no doubt he wondered whether God’s calling on his life would ever come to pass (Psalm 142).  Yet he always ends each Psalm praising God and trusting Him to fulfill His promises.

Perhaps like David, you find yourself hiding in the caves, waiting for God to make good on His promises.  He may be using this time to refine, teach, and prepare you as He prepared David for his future responsibilities as king. Saul, his predecessor, had great promise but failed due to character issues. Perhaps he wasn’t ready to be king. God was getting David ready. David had many opportunities to kill Saul and speed up God’s timetable, but he resisted. Don’t be impatient and strive to make things happen. God may be using your time in the cave to build your character and get you ready. When you are tempted to doubt your calling, stand on your Goliath moment and trust God to fulfill His purpose for your life.

Excerpted from Peace For Each Hour by Mary J. Nelson; Copyright © 2013; ISBN 978-1938388170; Published by Comfort Publishers; Unauthorized duplication prohibited.