“David replied to the Philistine, “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.”
–1 Samuel 17:45 (NLT)

Has it ever felt like you were facing an impossible or next-to-impossible situation? Maybe you’re stuck in a tough spot now. If so, God not only wants to strengthen you, but He wants you to know that He can make a way when all the roads seem to lead to a dead end.

I was asked about 2 months ago if I could officiate at a wedding. While I was notified by the person who coordinated the event, the actual couple didn’t let me know what they wanted until a week before the wedding. Then when I got there, the order of service was slightly changed at the last minute. To top it all off, the computer containing my notes decided to stop working just moments before the ceremony began. But there was no turning back now, so I just prayed my way up front. In spite of everything the wedding was beautiful, and I learned a lesson about trusting God.

“Well,” you say, “that’s an interesting story, Tim, but I’m in a much worse situation.” Then you proceed to tell me about how you have lost your job or you can’t put food on your table. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, or there are bill collectors pounding on your door.

But that is exactly my point. If God can help me when things are a bit difficult, He can certainly help you when you’re facing the impossible.

Now let’s look at the story of David. Like you, David must have been petrified as he faced Goliath, the giant in his own life. It may have seemed like David’s prayers to God had hit the ceiling. The future king may not have had warm feelings towards God, even though the only way he had to look was up to heaven. But the fact is that God saw David through, and He will see you through as well.

While life is not always easy, it isn’t because God doesn’t love you. The Bible says that He loves you with an everlasting love. To paraphrase Jesus, the rain falls on those who are just as well as those who are unjust. In other words, we live in a fallen world, and everybody has their share of troubles.

When you’re facing a tough time, God advocates the quality of perseverance. So dig your heels in, and in prayer hold onto the end of the rope, even when it seems to slip through your fingers. I pray that God will help you to realize that He and His armies are always fighting for you. You may not immediately feel any differently once you’ve prayed once or several times about your situation, but I can promise you on the authority of God’s word that like David, you will ultimately be victorious.

Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You can also send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 377 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 260, Placentia, CA 92870.

If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 641-715-3900, ext. 874157.