You may know the story of David in the bible. He stood up to the Philistine giant Goliath with only a sling and five stones but he only needed one to take him down. You may not be facing a “literal” giant today but you’ve probably felt like it at some point in your life.
Let me share with you what my giants have been. First this pandemic has wrecked a lot of people. Not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Our social culture has been upended. For me, add to that the loss of my husband, followed by that of my horse and dog within a very short time and the fact that I have not seen my family in almost two years. Then I sustained an injury where I couldn’t work for 3 months thereby thrusting me into a world of unknowns.
I was faced with having to deal with another “giant” called short term disability and quickly discovered that if I did not advocate for myself it could be a disaster. I became somewhat of an expert, spending many hours on the phone, and learned a lot about what is required and expected; the list is long!
Having to suddenly let go of a big part of my life (work),not knowing for certain what the immediate future held and dealing with almost unbearable pain was draining me mentally and physically. There were many days and nights when I cried until I had exhausted myself.
But God! My faith allowed me to face what I had to. There was really no good alternative. He was with me every step of the way and brought the people I needed in order to get through the wreckage of what had become my life. My children and several close friends were the impetus for me to keep going.
So here I am hopefully moving forward as I return to work. I have healed in my body and mind. I feel more hopeful about the future. There will still be decisions to be made but I feel more equipped to handle them now. So if you are facing a giant today, know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It may be very dim and almost imperceptible at first. But keep focused on it and hopefully you will share your story to encourage others too.
“So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone… ” 1 Samuel 17: 50
“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him and He will help you.” Psalm 37: 5
Heart Strings 