David Encouraged Himself in The Lord
What a powerful statement that we read in 1st Samuel 30:6, it says “But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God”.
The word ‘encouraged’ means to fasten, to seize, strengthen, fortify, aid, courage, to overpower etc. This is what David received from Jehovah God in the midst of what was a chaotic situation in his life.
Consider the scenario that David along with his men are confronted with on arrival back to their home base of Ziklag after a season of fighting and deliverance, they find the city has been invaded by the Amalekites and been smitten and burned to the ground. Their wives and children have been taken captive causing David and his men to lift up their voices and weep until they had no more power to weep as they were in so much distress and sadness.
To add more to this anguish and chaos verse 6 says that “David was greatly distressed, for the people spake of stoning him”. It was not enough that David was mourning and crying over the state of Ziklag, the disappearance of his wife and children, that now His friends in battle turn on him blaming him for the tragedy and wanting to kill him.
Nevertheless in the midst of this most disastrous setting, the last part of verse 6 tells us what David did, it says, “But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God”. He took his eyes of the chaos and tragedy and turned them unto his God, resulting in him receiving the strength, aid and power that only God can give in such a critical time. He knew what to do.
Maybe he withdrew from the people and remembered what God had done for him in the past and this began to strengthen his inner man, maybe he began to praise, worship and glorify his God, that by the time he was done he felt fortified and encouraged. As he looked to the Lord for encouragement God provided the strength that was necessary, God always has the answer and he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.
After been encouraged by God, David then inquired of Him if he should pursue the enemy, he received this answer “pursue and you will surely overtake them and without fail recover all”. David went and took back what the devil had stolen.
Maybe you have come across a critical, chaotic and tragic situation in your life that has brought you so much anguish and sadness where you do not know what to do, you have cried until you have no more tears to shed, maybe you have a sickness, financial hardship, family trouble, lost a job, bad news, in fear of the future etc, I want you to receive the word of God in this simple article and put a “But” in the situation that you are in and “encourage yourself in the Lord”. Our God is still in the business of strengthening and aiding his people. There is no substitute for our God. He has all sufficient provision for you today.
In these times of great anxiety and fear on all sides, while the world goes to and fro looking for strength and peace, you and I have our God whom we can turn to everyday and receive the strength and courage to keep on doing what God has called us to do.