Day 9 - Be a Self-Encourager

Sometimes you have to be the one who encourages yourself.

Others won't do it.  In fact, they think they are doing you a favor by telling you all the things that can go wrong.

Or worse, they may be blaming YOU for all the trouble.

David knew what that was like.

So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake 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.

And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all...

This passage in 1 Samuel 30 is classic.  Disaster struck and what is the first thing the people wanted to do?  Kill the leadership!

David was hurting over the loss of his own family. He'd cried until there was no more strength to cry,  Then, at his lowest point, people began to talk of killing him.

What would you do?

David encouraged himself in the Lord.  He remembered all the times God had delivered him before.  He remembered the character of God.  He knew he could trust Him.

So, his first step was to go ask God what He should do. And then he went and did it.

... And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.

This is a great story.  When you have time, go to 1 Samuel 30 and read the whole story and how God led David to do what he did. 

But, did you get that?  He got everything back that had been stolen.  He. Recovered. It. All.

The next time the enemy tries to steal from you:

• Remember who your God is, and how He helped you before
• Ask Him what you should do - wait until He tells you
• Then just do it, no questions, just do it.

This month we are talking about encouragement, and this week, more specifically, how we can encourage ourselves.
The first step is:  Remember who your God is

I'm sharing this post at Shanda's blog, A Pause on the Path, for On Your Heart Tuesday.