Fearless, Part 2

Simple words that re-routed my thinking for life. “Well we know that the Word says in Ecclesiastes 3, ‘For everything there is a season,’” spouts the tea-slurper seated at the table beside ours at Panera. She shared these simple words with her accompaniment, and God timed it perfectly so that instantly as I took my seat, I could overhear her say that verse and be encouraged because God isn’t making a mistake or leaving me in the dumps. A whirlwind (more like tornado) of emotions had attacked me that day, leaving me uncertain and looking for an explanation of why God had left me in a waiting season. In the midst of complaining to a friend (just moments before my world-rocking word delivered the fellow Panera enthusiast), I spewed out a simple prayer, “transform my heart by the renewing of my mind, Jesus, I don’t want to feel this way.” Honestly I wasn’t expecting anything to happen but what did, rocked my world and gave me a new perspective.

In Fearless, Part 1 (this would be a great time to go back and read it if you haven’t yet), we talked about David being chosen as king even though he didn’t seem like the ideal choice. God wasn't even phased by David’s lacking resume or seemingly incapability. He didn’t give up on David because He chose to see the potential he had over the mistakes he made along the way.

I know what you’re thinking, “segment on David? Here comes some pep talk about how God helps us conquer the ‘goliaths’ in life.” Not so fast, smart one, the story gets very (drumroll please), anticlimactic. What? Yes, that’s right, in that moment David probably felt useless and very confused (don't we all). He was given a glimpse of the ultimate prize that he would be receiving, and yet nothing happens! He goes back to his McDonald’s floor mopping job and no one applauds when he enters, or kisses his feet; he’s still the same old, smelly, and scrawny wreck that we met as David from the very beginning.  Why?

That’s what I was asking, “God, “Why?” Why would He give me a glimpse of the reward and then hold it from me? I realized in what my tea-slurping God-messenger friend said at Panera, that for everything, there is a season; everything. And, unfortunately, that includes a season of waiting. So what God revealed to me through David’s story and the overheard, God-orchestrated encouragement, is that He is not holding anything back from me (that’s just not His character); He is simply equipping me for what’s ahead, whether I’m aware or not.

Fast forward a little while through David’s simple and mundane life as he had the lowliest occupation available in his time (a shepherd, although I like to say a McDonald’s floor mopper because that would have pretty much been the equivalent), and David is sent out by his father to deliver some munchies to his older brothers fighting a battle against some mean people called the Philistines. When he gets there, it’s made aware to him that the Philistines brought a giant and everyone is afraid to fight him. Blah Blah Blah, you know the drill, David talks to Saul and convinces him to let David fight Goliath.

But there is an important detail that God revealed to me just recently as I studied this passage: Saul tells David that there is no way a young shepherd boy like David could ever defeat a trained soldier (much less, a giant!!) and David replies with:

“I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive.”

(1 Samuel 17:34-36)

David had no way of knowing that he would be up against a giant in battle. God used David’s season of waiting to prepare him (literally) for the battle. If there was no waiting season, there would be no victory for David over Goliath. The waiting season was essential.

God has not put us in a season of waiting to make us feel useless or like wasted-space, He has put us here to nurture us and teach us the things that we need to understand and heed before facing war.

God says we were made for “such a time as this” and He has placed us in our experiences for a reason (Esther 4:14). Even though we may not be aware of His timing or overall plan, we can trust that He is molding us into something beautiful to be used by Him and give Him glory.

Jesus, today, please help me to stop worrying and questioning why You have planted me where I am. I want to trust that You are preparing me for the battle ahead and will carry me there when it is time.  Transform my heart so that I am no longer uneasy over things I cannot control.

Stay tuned for Fearless, Part 3!