Things at work have been stressful the past several days. I love working with youth, but the extra responsibility of coordinating children’s ministry adds enormous pressure and time commitment to my already busy schedule. Needless to say, I’ve recently found myself realizing that my gifts, abilities and time, often fall short and leave me stressed out.
In my devotions the other day, I read about a stressful situation in 1 Samuel 30. David is returning from the battlefield with his men. Upon arriving home, they find their town burned to the ground and their wives and children missing. David’s men bitterly place the blame on him. In fact, verse 6 says that they thought about stoning him. Things are quickly going from bad to worse for David.
In the midst of all these emotions, frustrations and fears, David does something amazing. The end of verse 6 says, “But David found strength in the Lord his God.”
He found strength in a situation where he was powerless and outnumbered. It’s not something that he mustered up on his own. He realized his circumstances and offered them to God. I’m glad that He doesn’t leave us “high and dry” when we look to Him for strength. Instead, God somehow transfers His strength to us. We don’t have to let the stresses of this life get the best of us. Our Creator offers us life to the full, not life full of stress.
