NEVER LOSE HOPE!

TEXT:

"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." (1st Samuel 30 verse 6, King James Version).

There's much around us today that's capable of causing distress to our souls and getting us discouraged in life. From the economic woes we currently are in, to the spate of insecurity that we witness all around the place, it's hard to see anything else but widespread discontentment coupled with anguish of spirit. Now, the question is what to do under these circumstances.

     David was at a time in his life faced with terrifying moments such that could have drowned him completely. He had gone to battle with his men to fight on the side of the Philistines against Israel, but out of distrust, the Philistines rejected him. On his return from the battlefield to Ziklag, he discovered that the Amalekites had "burned it, and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old."; including David's wives, sons, daughters and those of the men that followed him. The Bible says, "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: ..."

     I wouldn't know what's going on right now in your life that's constituting distress and anguish over your life. Perhaps, like it was with David, the distress and anguish of spirit isn't limited to you alone. There are probably other people around you that are adversely affected by what's going on around you. You may have your family and other close acquaintances involved in the matter that's calling for urgent resolution. I prophesy that as God gave David victory over his debilitating circumstances, so He will give to you, Jesus name.

      But in order to have David's testimony, we should be prepared to do what he did in the circumstances. The Bible says of David that he "encouraged himself in the LORD his God." What does that mean? Invariably, it means that David remembered the Lord his God at such a moment of despondency. To him, it was a moment to remember God's past faithful and gracious dealings with him, and to seek help from Him regarding the present distress or anguish.

     In furtherance of his resolution, David enquired of the Lord through Abiathar the priest what he was to do in order to recover what the Amalekites had taken following their raid on Ziklag. God's response to him was “Pursue them,” ... “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” (1st Samuel 30 verses 7 to 8).

    At this crucial or critical moment of your life, to whom do you turn for counsel and for help? Don't get to the point of discouragement, such that you refuse to go to Church to listen to God and to enquire from Him what way to take in order to get free from the wicked imaginations of the devil. It's only by being in close contact with the Lord that we can surmount the events of these latter days. The Bible says,

"For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: ..."

(Psalms 73 verses 27 to 28).

     In your current distress, never lose hope. Rather, like David, remember the Lord your God; remember also His past deeds of deliverance; go to His House to seek counsel as to what to do in order to overcome the challenges of life that are the order of these latter days.

PRAYER:

Never will I allow myself to be discouraged by the circumstances of life. I will remember the Lord my God at all times, knowing that He will help me.