What Giant Are You Facing?

What Giant are you facing today? I (Tami) realize they come in different sizes and possibly even seasons.

Maybe you are facing a task related giant like potty training a toddler.  You might be facing the giant of depression or anxiety.  Your giant might be a lingering sickness, or an even bigger giant like cancer.  They come at us often and they threaten to detour us, derail us and even destroy us.

My family has had couple of giants to slay lately, and a few coming upon us as well.

One emerging giant in our lives holds the spear of anxiety related to sending our first daughter to college.

Another giant of lingering sickness and illness continues to stand in our way holding his shield of unresolved health problems among some of our family members.

Still another  seems to enjoy laughing and mocking us as we beginning a new adventure in ministry.

In prayer several times today God brought two important things to my mind.  The first was scripture and the second was a song.

The scripture God brought me to today through an app called “Abide” was found in Luke 12. You can read the whole chapter if you would like, but verse 27 stood out to me today.  It was an encouragement as I face my fears, it says this – “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin.”  It was a simple challenge to take my mind off of all the worries (giants) and focus on God’s beauty and what he has already done for us.

God also brought to my mind  the song “Shoulders” by For King and Country.  It really helped me today to absorbed these lyrics…

“My help comes from You
You’re right here, pulling me through
You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
My help comes from You
You are my rest, my rescue
I don’t have to see to believe that You’re lifting me up on Your shoulders
Your shoulders”

We need to continually remember that it wasn’t David that killed the giant, but by God though David.  All of our STUFF is on His shoulders and it is only by Gods help and power that we overcome each trial.
The song not only declares that he carries our STUFF, it says he carries us on his shoulders.

Do you remember that feeling?  Do you recall how it felt to be on your father’s shoulders?  I don’t know about you, but it made me feel – well – like a GIANT!

As if those clear reminders were not enough for me today, He prompted one of my precious daughters to write me a note of encouragement (she even stated that in the note). She shared many scriptures about fear, courage, and strength.  She also wrote about her love for me and that she is here for me.  She expressed her solid belief that God is making “something beautiful” (another one of our favorite songs right now).

I recognize that it is really hard to put one foot in front of the other in times that require us to slay giants.  It’s not where we want to be, but it is a place where we get to see his power at work in and through us.  I didn’t really set out to get anything from God today, but in his grace he gave me a scripture, a song, and note of encouragement.

So, whether you’re facing a giant today or not, I want to encourage you to connect with God.

Put on worship music and really listen to the words.
Open the “You Version” app and read the verse of the day.
Find a reading plan that fits you or seek out another app that speaks to you like I did with Abide.
You might try praying for or even serving someone else.  Serving others takes your mind off all of your worries and who knows, you may even become the ray of sunshine among someone else’s storm of worries.

David said to the Philistine, “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.”
~ 1 Samuel 17:45 ~