Diary of a DISCOURAGED man

1 Samuel 30:6:

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

David, the shepherd boy turned king, is a broad canvas on which many things can be painted on. Referred to as someone after God’s heart, David was so far from perfect that many of us would consider ourselves better than him if he sat across from us.  I believe that many people are intimated by their perception of perfection or, perhaps better expressed, their misperception of imperfection which is why they try so hard to please or impress people who aren’t even looking.

Just like many of us, David was a man with many flaws and frailties who often struggled to find light in his dark moments. Aware of each time he falls, he runs to God to fix him. I believe to become people after God’s heart does not require perfection. No! It requires a passionate heart and a honest conscience and the perseverance to keep seeking Him when we fall. 

David’s life was a series of struggle and conflict which almost left him and his Kingdom destroyed. One would think that just because you are in the center of God heart means you are automatically exempted from facing challenges. Oh! I’m glad David’s life shows us the other side of the coin.

Now, while David and his men were away, his enemies invaded the city and took captives their wives, children, and belongings and set ablaze the city. Everything David and his men had ever worked for were burnt down to ashes… Back to square one…Can you imagine that?

 On their returning, they were grieved over the tragic event and they wept until they had no more power to weep. Oh! Even warriors do cry. You are not alone. David being the leader was heavily criticized and was almost killed by his army. He was expected to provide quick solution to the problem at hand. What do you do when you don’t have answers to the questions life throws at you? Isn’t it amazing how that you can be forsaken and ostracized by the people in your life?

At the point that David was ready to die and collapse on the floor and he said to himself “I can’t do this no more, am sick and am tired and even those who are with me don’t believe in me anymore and I thought that we will stick together and they didn’t stick together with me” and then when he didn’t have nobody but himself, he ENCOURAGED himself. Have you ever had to encourage yourself in the face of hopeless circumstance?

Sometimes everybody with you can’t keep up with you because everybody doesn’t have the capacity to face disappointment after disappointment after disappointment and still keep on keeping on. In a short period of time you can go through a long period of trouble and pain and be broken to the point of quitting but even in such pit of discouragement, you have to ENCOURAGE yourself. You have to stop waiting on people to encourage you when God has given you the inner tenacity to do so yourself.

I have survived some tough places in my life and some of which I am still surviving. I have had failures too deep to ignore, frustrations too complex to explain. Disappointment too many to count and when no one was there to comfort me, I ENCOURAGED myself. 

If you are out there going through a tough period in your life and all hell seems to be breaking loose on you, and the people you expect to comfort you don’t even understand your pain, or even notice you are fighting a tough battle, I encourage you to find solace in God. He has given you the inner capacity to encourage yourself and slay the giants that comes your way. Just like David encouraged himself when all hell broke loose on him, you also, should ENCOURAGE yourself when you go through tough times.

Gracias

Huntly Anabs

Twitter: @huntlya