OverwhelmedSample

Don’t Forget

If you aren’t careful, that which overwhelms you in life can cause you to lose your memory.

Giants can cause you to be so overwhelmed that it takes up the whole camera lens of your life. You can be going about your business in life and then Goliath suddenly shows up to harass and intimidate. You may be dealing with sickness that is insurmountable and leaving you discouraged about the future. Perhaps you were suddenly abandoned by someone that once was a friend. Maybe you feel pushed down by financial pressure. No matter what it is you are overwhelmed by, it proves to redirect your focus, challenges your faith, and selfishly tries to steal your full attention and energy. It also challenges you to forget the faithfulness of God.

As stated before, King Saul and the men of Israel were paralyzed by fear and discouragement in the face of Goliath. He was too big, too overwhelming, and impossible to overcome. They were so defeated in their thinking and belief system that it caused them to run away, rather than face which overwhelmed them.

Could it be possible that one reason the men of Israel allowed Goliath to overwhelm them is that they forgot the nature of God? Could it be that they allowed Goliath to fully take over the camera lens of their lives where they had no room for God to be their focus? They naturally saw the impossibility of what overwhelmed them that it kept them from seeing the greatness and power of Almighty God. In fact, 1 Samuel 14:52 says about King Saul, “And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.” He once had the confidence to defeat any enemy, but now had short-term memory of God’s faithfulness to help him. They forgot God’s promises and did not remember how God had proven Himself faithful in the past.

On the contrary, David did not allow Goliath to overwhelm him. One crucial reason was that he remembered. He did not forget God’s nature, His power, or His faithfulness. A new giant, a new struggle, or a new trial does not change God’s nature or character. In fact, God alone does not change, so He is trustworthy. David trusted the Lord because he remembered when he was shepherding that God helped him defeat a bear and a lion! David had the ability to become overwhelmed by these impossible foes, but God empowered him to defeat them. 1 Samuel 17:37 says, “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.” David remembered what God did in the past to keep him from being overwhelmed from the present circumstance.

Don’t allow today’s overwhelming situation to cause you to forget God. Remember what God has done in the past personally in your life. The Lord has saved you, healed you, protected you, guided you, warned you, comforted you. May your testimony always be fresh in your mind and heart, so that when the giant comes trying to overwhelm you, you will refuse because you recall the miraculous power and promises of a faithful God. The Lord who was faithful in the past is faithful today.