The story of David and Goliath is one of the most well-known in the Bible, but its message goes far deeper than a boy defeating a warrior. It is a story about what happens when we stop focusing on the size of our problems and start focusing on the size of our God.
What Does the Giant in Your Life Represent?
Every person has a giant. It might be a broken relationship, a financial crisis, a health diagnosis, or a situation that has been growing and pressing in on you for a long time. Whatever it is, that giant has likely been around for a while, and it probably feels like it keeps getting bigger.
The good news is this: you do not have to face it alone, and you do not have to keep running from it.
Why Were the Israelites So Afraid of Goliath?
For weeks, the armies of Israel had been paralyzed. Every day, Goliath would step forward and issue his challenge. He was roughly nine feet tall, a seasoned warrior, and he was loud. He dared Israel to send their best man to fight him, and every single day, no one stepped forward.
The soldiers ran back to their tents. Even King Saul, who should have been leading the charge, was frozen in fear.
This is what giants do. They taunt. They repeat themselves. And the longer we listen, the more power we give them.
What Made David Different?
When David arrived at the camp to deliver supplies, he heard Goliath’s taunts and had a completely different reaction. He did not see an obstacle too large to overcome. He saw an enemy standing against the God He served.
He asked, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine who comes against the armies of the Lord?” That question reveals everything about his perspective. David measured Goliath against God, not against Himself.
He then went to King Saul and said something remarkable. As recorded in 1 Samuel 17:32:
“Let not my Lord’s heart fail because of Him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” – 1 Samuel 17:32 English Standard Version (ESV)
David was telling the king, the one who should have been leading, that he would go. And he went without the king’s armor, without special weapons, just his sling and his faith in God.
Why Do We Lose Focus When Giants Appear?
One of the most common mistakes we make when facing a challenge is assuming that the obstacle itself is a sign that something has gone wrong. We start to wonder if God is judging us, if we made a wrong turn, or if we are somehow outside of His will.
What actually happens is a slow shift in focus. Instead of keeping our eyes on where God is leading us, we fix them on the problem in front of us. And once that shift happens, a few things tend to follow:
- Our words turn into complaining
- Our faith begins to shrink
- We become completely paralyzed
- We forget what God is actually capable of
Opposition and resistance are not always signs that you are off track. Sometimes they are signs that you are exactly where God wants you, and He is about to show His glory through your situation.
How Do You Face the Giants in Your Life?
Facing your giant starts with a simple but powerful shift in perspective. Instead of measuring your giant against your own strength, measure it against the God you serve.
David had already seen God work. He had faced lions and bears while protecting his flock, and God had delivered Him every time. That history with God gave Him the confidence to step forward when no one else would.
You likely have your own history with God too. Times He came through. Times He provided. Times He healed or restored or opened a door. That history matters. It is the foundation you stand on when a new giant appears.
What Happens When You Finally Face Your Giant?
Two things tend to happen when you stop avoiding the giant and actually step toward it.
First, you realize the giant is not as large as you built it up to be in your mind. Fear has a way of inflating our problems. When we finally face them, we often discover they were never as impossible as they seemed.
Second, God takes whatever small amount of strength you bring and combines it with His power. That is what happened with David. A young shepherd with a sling should not have been able to defeat a trained warrior. But God was in it, and the giant fell.
That is what God does. He does not ask you to have it all figured out. He asks you to trust Him enough to take the first step.
Trust Jesus More Than You Fear the Giant
The core lesson from David’s story is not that you need to be braver or stronger. It is that your God is bigger than any giant you will ever face. The challenge is to trust Jesus more than you fear whatever is standing in front of you.
Do not let the giants in your life pull you off course from what God is doing. Look at those obstacles as opportunities for growth and for God to shine His glory through your life.
Face your giant. Watch what God does. And watch your faith grow in the process.
Life Application
This week, identify the one giant you have been avoiding. Write it down. Then, instead of focusing on how big it is, write down at least two or three times in your life when God came through for you in a difficult situation. Let that history remind you of who God is and what He is capable of.
Then take one step toward that giant. It does not have to be a giant leap. Just one step in faith, trusting that God is with you.
Ask yourself these questions as you reflect:
- What giant have I been avoiding, and what has that avoidance cost me?
- Am I measuring my problem against my own strength, or against the power of God?
- What is one step I can take this week to move toward the challenge instead of away from it?
- How has God come through for me in the past, and what does that tell me about how He can work in this situation?
Your God is bigger. Step forward and let Him prove it.
Chuck Musselwhite 
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