Written By
Ana Wright
Business and Honors Student
Business and Honors Student
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Approved by the local outreach coordinator of the Office of Spiritual Life on Nov. 7, 2023
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
In 1 Samuel 16, God chose David to become the new King of Israel. David was a young man who had a good heart. He was a shepherd who knew how to lead, protect and care for not only his sheep, but for his people as well. David was often seen as the underdog. Mainly due to him not looking the part of a big, tall stereotypical hero. David was the youngest son of Jesse, so he wasn’t the tallest or strongest. What set him apart from his brothers was David’s heart. God doesn’t judge from outward appearance, he only can judge by faith, character and how your heart looks like.
Goliath taunted the Israelites for 40 days, waiting for someone to challenge him in a fight. All of Israel was fearful of Goliath, from seeing how big and intimidating he is. David was the only one who saw Goliath for who he really was, a simple man defying God. David approached Goliath wearing no armor and carrying no weapons other than a smooth stone and a sling.
What Goliath didn’t realize was that he wasn’t just fighting David, he was also picking up a fight against God. David had such a great amount of trust and faith in God, that he didn’t even think twice about fighting Goliath. David already knew what was going to happen, he knew that God was going to protect him. The smooth stone hit Goliath on the head which made him fall to ground, defeated.
Sometimes our problems look like Goliath. A nine-foot giant decked out in armor and spears, ready to strike down on us. Some of the challenges that we face can sometimes seem impossible to fight and win. It can be intimidating to approach. The easiest thing to do is turn around and run instead of fighting it head on. It’s important to keep in mind that God is on our side here to fight our battles. Fear is a weapon from the enemy, and we need to recognize that God protects us. He never leaves us.
God is able to turn some of the biggest strengths into weaknesses, and weaknesses into the greatest strengths. Goliath’s biggest strength was his size, but that became his weakness as David triumphed over him. David was at a disadvantage but was able to conquer Goliath despite that.
Grand Canyon University is dedicated to helping and teaching all the members in the GCU community to trust in God. To learn more, take a look at our Christian Identity and Mission. To explore more about Spiritual Life here at GCU, browse through our other weekly devotionals or complete the form on this page.
It can be challenging to navigate through the world and all its issues. But where do we cling to for strength?
Do we cling to the world or to God? Or maybe we cling to a little bit of both at times.
When David fought Goliath, a nine-foot giant dawned in heavy armor and weapons, David had no fear. He only needed his faith and trust in God to take win against Goliath. It can almost feel as if we are fighting our own Goliaths. No matter how small or unprepared you may feel, God fights our battles for us. We can look to the story of David and Goliath as an example. This story is one where the underdog is able to overcome and take the lead — standing tall despite the disadvantages.
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