A
couple of men went camping deep in the woods. One of the men was a big,
powerful guy, while his buddy was small. The little man said to the big guy, “You
know, if I were as big as you, I’d go out into the woods and find a big bear to
fight. Yep, that’s what I’d do if I were as big as you.” The big guy looked
at his friend and said, “You know, there are a lot of little bears out there
too.”
Many people tell us what we need to do, but they aren’t willing to do it themselves. The truth is, there are enough big and little bears out there for all of us. We need to learn how to defeat the little bears before we can defeat the big ones. God will show us how to overcome small trials so we will have confidence when we face bigger challenges.
David was a shepherd boy and had never fought in a battle before. One day when he was tending his sheep, a lion attacked the flock and David killed it. Another time, a bear attacked the flock, (perhaps a little bear), and he killed it too.
One day the Philistines gathered to fight Israel and challenged them to fight their giant named Goliath. Everyone in Israel was frightened, including King Saul. No one was willing to fight Goliath except the shepherd boy, David. He told Saul, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Sam. 17:37). In other words, “Killing a little bear was training to prepare me to fight this big bear.”
Saul told David, “Go and may the Lord be with you.” Saul could have said, “May the Lord be with me as I fight Goliath,” but he didn’t. Saul was willing for David to fight the big bear, but he wasn’t willing to do it himself.
God’s “training camp” is to help you overcome small trials so you’ll be ready and confident when you have to face a giant challenge. And remember, the same Lord who helped David will also help you. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net
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