Encourage Yourself In The LordSample

Encouraging Yourself In The Lord will bring Sensitivity And Clarity To The Voice Of God

We learned yesterday that deciding to look to the Lord instead of the tragedies before us will infuse strength to our soul so we can move on. After David encouraged himself in the Lord, he was strengthened. Mind you, the encouragement didn’t change the situation and circumstances. He was still facing the rubble all around, the smoke from the burnt possessions was still ascending, the cries and threats from the men around him were filling the air. But shifting his eyes from what was before him to the Lord also changed his perspective from hopelessness to what is the next step in picking up the pieces? The strength that came from the shift in perspective positioned him to drown out the negatives and to hear with clarity the instructions for the next move. If David did not encourage himself when he did, it could have cost him and his men everything. David understood that staying focused on the tragedy would only bring him to a place of further despair. Sometimes in life, we stay longer than we should in mourning, crying and wailing over situations that seem hopeless, taking us further down a rabbit hole with no end. It is imperative as a believer to know that with God, there is always hope even when we can’t see it. 

Once David got his strength back to his soul, he called the priest to bring him the ephod, and he inquired of the Lord. The ephod was part of the priestly garment and often used by Saul and David when wanting to ask of the Lord his will and instructions. Just like David called for the priest and the ephod to find clarity and hear the voice of the Lord so too we as believers have a high priest today and he is Jesus. When trials and tragedies come our way, the Lord Jesus invites us to come boldly into the throne room of grace and find mercy to help us in our times of need. Understand that we have an even greater access to the throne room and to not use it would mean we could remain stuck in depression and hopelessness. When we choose to go to God for help, he will open up his word to us so we can find the clarity we need to move forward. Without the presence and word of God, it would be impossible to get out of the deep state of hopelessness. 

When David inquired of the Lord he heard with clarity the will of God for his life and the men with him. David positioned himself in the presence of the Lord, he sought the Lord’s will and not his own, he did not rely on revenge from a hurting heart, but he desired to do what God wanted him to do. The word of God can heal and give direction when no one else has the answer. David asked God what to do, and God told David to, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail, recover all.” – (1 Samuel 30:8b). I don’t know what you are facing today, but I know a high priest is waiting for you to ask for his help, and just like he helped David, he will help you also. 

“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” - Elisabeth Elliot