How to face your giants

Many of us admire the story of David and Goliath. We read it and are amazed at how a tiny little boy, with just a few pebbles and a sling, could bring down a mighty 10-foot giant – a trained warrior with bronze armor and a massive javelin.

We sometimes tend to read ourselves into the story, thinking that we can be David – that we can fight the Goliaths in our lives – and boy, do we have Goliaths in our lives.

But more often than not, we stare at the giants in our lives – the obstacles that terrify us – whether it’s a broken relationship, a financial burden, a mean old boss, or the voices of depression, anxiety screaming that we are worthless and will never amount to anything – and cower in fear.

The giants – your giants – stand between you and your destiny.

They mock you, and mock your dreams of ever bringing it down. They beat you down with their mighty spears and javelins, only to leave you crying out in helplessness, wondering if you’ll ever get to where you need to be – your promised land.

Years before David entered the scene, the Israelites faced a similar problem.

They were scared to enter their promised land, because the land was occupied by giants.

Imagine that – a land filled with Goliaths.

And they did what most of us would, whether we’d like to admit it or not. They cowered in fear, and they let their fear turn into anger towards God. They grumbled, whined, and looked to Moses, who had led them out of Egypt and through whom God had split the Red Sea, and cried out against him. They even went so far as to say, “Moses, we prefer being slaves to this. So here’s the plan – we’re going to kill you, and then head back into slavery.”

I repeat – they did what most of us would, whether we’d like to admit it or not.

It’s not exactly an irrational fear you know. Giants are terrifying.

Knowing for a fact that they are out to get you doesn’t help. They want to see you give up hope. They want to see you dead.

I think it’s pretty fair for someone to be afraid of their giant – of their goliath.

And it would’ve been fair for the Israelites to be afraid of their giants too. Except they had forgotten one thing.

God had promised to carry them.

God – the eternal King, the infinite being, the almighty and all-powerful – had promised to carry them like a father carries his children.

Have you ever been carried by your father? Have you ever sat on his shoulders? Have you been up there, looking at the world from a whole new vantage point, with the rest of the world you know way down below?

When you are on your father’s shoulders, you are the giant.

That’s what God had promised them.

They, being carried on God’s shoulders, were the giants.

David, knowing who his God was, knew he was the giant, and that Goliath needed to be terrified of him.

After all, it is perfectly normal to be terrified of giants.

You, friend – God has promised to carry you on His shoulders.

Like a father, He wants to lift you up, that you may see the world from up there.

On God’s shoulders, you are the giant.

With Christ and in Christ, you are the giant.

It is your Goliath – your depression, your anxiety, your worry, your burden, your resentment, your anger, your rejection, your sin, your temptations, and your unforgiveness that need to fear Him.

Not the other way around.

With Christ, you are the giant.

And it is perfectly normal for your Goliath to be terrified of giants.