Different, Not New
Reading Time: 6 minutes
“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “...I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”
1 Samuel 17:32-37
David and the Israelites are up against a huge problem: an armored, 9-foot-tall champion named Goliath. He challenges the Israelite army and no one knows if they can beat him one-on-one. When David—who is just bringing food for his brothers—sees this challenger coming against his God and his people, he starts asking questions about the situation. He wonders why no one has done anything and feels called to step up. David ends up with the King and tells him not to worry about the battle. He’s got it.
I can imagine King Saul’s excitement at the thought of a muscled warrior coming to save the day. I can also imagine his confusion and disappointment when he sees a kid. “I don't know if you are aware, but this guy Goliath isn't an easy battle,” Saul says, perplexed. “He’s been fighting since he was little.”
David’s response is crazy. “Me too.”
After Saul brings up Goliath’s credentials, David points out his own. David has experience fighting battles. I remember from my random animal planet binges as a child that bears and lions aren’t small. Now, I wish I could tell you that David was saying Goliath was light work because he had killed bigger animals. That would be insane. The more likely species of lions and bears mentioned were probably the Syrian brown bear and the Asiatic Lion. These species are much smaller than some of their counterparts, but that doesn’t change the fact that David had experience. Compared to them, Goliath was only about 10ft tall. Though they may have been a little smaller, he knew the size of his God didn’t change. David isn't discounting the battle. He isn't lying about the severity of the situation. This isn't an easy fight, but David isn’t intimidated.
What's crazy is this is supposed to be Saul’s battle. As king, he was tasked with defeating the Philistines, but instead, he projects his insecurities onto someone else. This is the same Saul who hid behind his luggage when he was chosen to be Israel’s king. I don't think Saul just thought David was too small or ill-equipped. I believe he thought he himself was ill-equipped, so David also had to be. A lot of times your haters and the people who don't believe in you are just responding based on their own fears or experiences. Hurt people hurt people. But you need to be solidified in who you are, Who you belong to, and what you're called to do so you aren’t phased by their comments.
I love how David responds here. David is being talked out of God’s calling by the very people God wants him to save, yet he doesn’t back down. He doesn’t give in. Why? I believe he had an identity, not in the opinions, ideas, and fears of others. He had an identity in God and what God had already done. David isn't new to this.
What if David forgot what God had done in the past or even worse, thought it wasn't good enough for now? There’s a quote that says, “We have nothing to fear for the future unless we forget how God has led us in the past.” David trusted in the God of his past. He trusted because he knew how God had worked before. You can do the same thing. If you're sitting here breathing, it means the devil formed weapons against you, but they did not prosper. It means that, like Job, you have a hedge of protection around you. God has done amazing things for you and He won’t stop now.
Lately, I’m being taught by God what Christian identity and confidence look like. I’m officially pastoring in Cincinnati, Ohio, and living on my own. Sometimes, I have imposter syndrome, but God keeps reminding me that this battle is different, but nothing new. God has been reminding me that I am being asked to do the same things now that I was doing before, just in a different arena. There is still some insecurity and self-doubt; however, I'm growing and realizing the confidence that comes not from believing in yourself, but believing in the God who has been fighting for you.
I've struggled with believing in others more than God. Sometimes, I rely on others to co-sign or believe in me before I follow what God is calling me to. My brother, Pax, pointed out, “We often believe in the influence of the devil more than we believe in the impact of God.” Often, we take account of the ways the devil discourages us more than we focus on God's power and might.
I want you to sit back and think of your current battles. Then, I want you to think of your proudest moments when God came through for you. You may be praying for your marriage, but I want you to think about what God did while you were dating. You may be worried about your business, but think about what God did to get you started. You may be fearful about getting your next degree, but think about the battles God won for you at your previous level. Yes, the battle is big and daunting, but you have been through things like this before. This is nothing new—you, your community, your family, and your friends have been through this before. And you all can learn from the past. You aren’t alone. Situations may change, but God won't.
God may be using you to not just save someone but increase their faith. Go. Don’t back down from the battle presented to you. It is being handed to you for a reason. It may be different, but it isn't new.
God isn't a rookie and you aren’t either.
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