How many times in our leadership walk with Christ have we found our faith waning or just MIA? Circumstances have distracted our attention, and the immediacy of the situation causes us to forget to lead from our knees. After all, we have a problem that requires immediate action, right? Then, when our brilliant solution doesn’t quite work, or we are hit with several follow-on issues, we begin to lose faith in ourselves, the mission, or even God. As I wrote in a prior blog, stay encouraged.
Recently, the story of King David was brought to mind. There are so many testimonies of David’s faith and great accomplishments. However, he was human and sometimes drifted from God’s plan. For example, David’s faith when facing Goliath is a thing of beauty. The story is told repeatedly and used in allegorical tales to emphasize that if God is with you, who can be against you? David’s faith was so strong that the outcome of the conflict was never in doubt. He knew that the Philistine would never be able to defeat Israel’s God, and he set out to show King Saul and all of Israel the truth of his faith.
Fast forward a few years, and we see an older, stressed David facing other Goliath-like storms. The difference is that Saul’s hatred for David has distracted him from the truth of God’s Word. David is the anointed King of Israel, waiting for the right timing to fulfill God’s purpose and sit on the throne. But Saul has tried to kill him, and David’s friend Jonathan has told him it was time to flee the Kingdom because Saul was trying to kill him again. We are told in 1 Samuel chapter 20 that in his rush to flee, David did not pray; he was in panic.
In chapter 21, Ahimelech, the priest encounters David who asks for bread. The two converse and decide the old showbread could be used to feed David and his men. But then, David comes face to face with his recently acquired lack of faith. He asks Ahimelech if there is a spear or a sword on hand. David not only forgot food, but he forgot to take a weapon while running away. Ahimelech points out that Goliath’s sword, “the Philistine whom you killed,” is over in the corner wrapped up in a cloth (1 Samuel 21:9). How sobering that must have been for David to see and take hold of the sword he secured while acting in great faith at an earlier battle. Now, at a low point of faith, God returns that remembrance to him.
As a leader in the Ekklesia—church—have you ever lost sight of the end goal while you battle in the temporal spaces of this world? Has your faith moved to focus on what you touch, feel, and can try to solve? Has faith in your purpose and goal moved from “the substance of things hoped for, and the assurance of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1) to what you are feeling and experiencing now? Take heart because we have all been there. David was there until God put faith back in his hands. When you are struggling to keep your head up and feel as if the world is pouring hell down on you, get on your knees and think back to your faith-filled days and how God met you on the battlefield. He has never left you; you walked away from Him (Hebrews 13:5).
Over the past few years, the church has faced several battles. Threatened COVID lockdowns, government and social targeting because we profess the Bible as truth, hatred for our stances on abortion and LGBTQ. Taking a stand on politics or cultural matters has led to decreased attendance and financial burdens in addition to news headlines. Take heart, leaders, God still sits on the throne. He has never left you nor forsaken you. You may enter the slew of despond, but God can pick you up and carry you to the other side. He did it before and will do it again.
When things look dark, pray and remember God’s faithfulness. Return that faith to Him. Mark 11:22-24 shows God’s heart and intentions. What do we do between amen and “yep, there it is?” First, verse 22 tells us to have faith. The question is not if God will do something but the acceptance that He already has answered. David, the shepherd boy, knew he had won the battle when he stepped into the valley. Second, speak to the mountain. Pray out loud or under your breath and command, don’t ask; command the obstacle to move out of your way. Third, have no doubt. How often have you prayed and thought, “I sure hope God answers?” HE HAS! If we are asking with the right intentions and the right heart, He has already answered.
God loves us; God is love (1 John 4:16). Therefore, He wants us to talk with Him, ask and receive (Mark 11:24). If we love Him, we will obey Him (John 14:15). When the shaking that is to come takes your eye off God’s ultimate goal for you, remember to have faith, ask and believe. He will return your sword of faith to your hand.