But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “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.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” 1 Samuel 17:34-37 NKJV
There are times in life when the perception of being unprepared hinders us from facing the challenges ahead. In these moments we mistake our unfamiliarity for incapability. The story of David and Goliath illustrates the strength in realizing your divine ability, despite perceived inexperience.
David went to Saul for permission to battle the giant – Goliath. Saul immediately called David a young, unqualified shepherd who was unworthy of fighting a giant. David explained that he had killed several bears and lions as a shepherd. He believed that even though he had never battled a giant, God would deliver him just as He did before. David knew there was a greater purpose to his past experiences and he trusted that every skill he acquired in his previous battles, would lead him to ultimate victory in this new, uncharted territory.
In this season, God is saying to trust that He has already prepared you for what’s ahead. Don’t waste energy and time waiting for everything to feel perfect; sometimes we have to step out and trust that God will use every past experience to lead us to victory. David knew that the same God who helped him kill lions and bears as a sheperd was more than able to help him slay a giant. His focus never became the giant in front of him, but remained on the King inside of him. The constant in our equation is never the battle, but always God, who is fighting for us! You are already prepared for the battle – just fight!