1 Samuel 30:6 “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” After returning from a battle, David and his solder found their homes burned to the ground and the wives and children taken captive. Those solders were following their leader, but exhausted and now completely grieved by their loss to the point of stoning David to death and David was aware.
David had a choice, just as we do today when it seems everyone has turned on us and you have no strength to take another step. David chose to strengthen/encourage himself in the Lord. And maybe that’s what you need to do in this moment. Don’t wallow in defeat and don’t wait for those around you to come and lift you up and strength you. Many times remaining weak is a choice, and being strengthened is up to you. You may be down today with everyone against you, but if God is for you, you can renew your strength. You can play the leading role in your own encouragement. How? Where do you begin in strengthening and encouraging yourself in the Lord? Start by praying to God and confessing the truth about how you feel at this moment. After that, talk to God about what you know God would have you live and engage with those around you. You can strengthen yourself in the Lord by speaking the truth over your life out loud. Listen for a moment to uplifting praise music. Ask God to give you a word to repeat through you day, or a phrase like, “God is for me!” Believe deep in your heart that God alone is the strength of you life. Do not live long in the defeat of a moment, but rally yourself in the name of Jesus, because the enemy has not won. Strengthen yourself for the sake of those held captive. After David strengthen himself in the Lord, he lead 600 men to go on a rescue mission to take back their wives and children. Two hundred of those men didn’t have enough strength in themselves to go all the way, but David with 400 men took back what was stolen. Today you can count your losses and lay down or you can strengthen yourself and go on a rescue mission for what has been stolen from you. No one can decide this for you. Only God can renew your strength.