“The biggest obstacles in our lives are the barriers our mind creates or the ones we perceive
1. David had to pass the “Ordinary”
Sometimes opportunities present themselves in ordinary ways, making it easier to overlook or desparage them. David was a teenager when his father instructed him to take food to his brothers on the battlefield. David could have refused to go or seen it as beneath him because, by then, he was already anointed as the future king of Israel. Instead, David put on a right attitude and obeyed his father.
That was the test of the ordinary that his father taught him. Small beginnings are never fancy or amusing, but there is a saying “he that is faithful in little things shall tender more significant things” which reminds us of the story of the talents from Scriptures.
2. The second obstacle David had to overcome was the “Offense Test”
David had to overlook an offense to avoid distraction from his primary test. His looked down on him, questioned his motives, and reminded him of his position in the family and lack of military ability. In short, his brother told him that he didn’t belong their, let alone pitted against Goliath. David resisted argument over his insults and quickly shifted his attention to ask someone else about Goliath, and what the rewards there were for whoever killed him. He got his answers and proceeded. He did not let his brother’s offense distract him
Offenses will come whether you like it or not or whether you are prepared or not. Most offenses come to distract – whether they cause you emotional pains or embarrassment. That causes you to lose your focus on the tests and trials that really matter. Learning to deal with offenses is crucial because they are inevitable. Or, better still, learning to ignore them will do you more good than harm.
3. The last obstacle that David had to overcome was the ‘Only Test’
‘Only’ is minimizing and devaluing. You are “Only” this or that, or sometimes
we even say to people when trying to describe who we are “I am only.” For
example, I am only a housewife or a stay at home mom or dad. Forgetting that there are more
responsibilities, talents, skills, and capabilities that go with “only” being a
stay at home, mom, or dad. Using the word only when describing who you are or
what you do causes degradation without you realizing it.
Goliath wanted to devalue David by saying to him
you’re ‘Only a boy’ when David wanted to answer his challenge. But David did
not let his words get the better of him, and instead he trusted in his Maker
who created him in His own image – and his name is I Am.
Inspired by Pastor Steven Furtick message ‘I Know How This Story Ends’ The