Fighting the Giant

(Goliath and David featured above: Picture provided by Lds.org Art)

I missed church today. After a very grueling surgery of wisdom teeth on Thursday, my health and energy for today prompted me to stay home, and miss out on the wonderful blessings of the Church of the Living Christ. 

I, however, am blessed to be living in a day and age where in a click of a button, I sent a text, and the sacrament was on it's way, delivered by two angels disguised as people in this life. 

I had a small piece of bread, due to my inability to chew food. I threw it to the back of my throat and swallowed. Then drank the water, after both had been prayed over and blessed. 

Immediately, after realizing the intense power the sacrament brings, with the memory of the atonement, my tears came. And they didn't stop. 

Prompted by the Lord, I asked what was taught at church, or moreover, what they learned from the Spirit that testifies truth to each and every one of us everyday. 

And I heard the story of David and Goliath. I'm always asked in the church questions that go like this "You know the story, right?" with an assuming gesture that since I grew up Catholic, I know every story in the Bible. But to most people's dismay, I wasn't the best Catholic, not even near the best Catholic as a matter of fact. Hence, I don't know the Bible stories very well at all. 

So to those of you who don't know, I'll tell you the story of Goliath, to the best of my ability. The story that I learned about 17 minutes ago to be exact. 

David was a small guy, and Goliath was a big guy, about 9 feet tall. REALLY BIG, considering today's standards. Goliath was big and he was against the Israelites and he tried to fight with them. He was also against the Lord in that aspect. David was with the Lord, and he had the Lord on his side.

When they tried to figure out who to send, David was the one to be sent. He wasn't afraid, because David had fought a bear AND a lion, and he beat both of them. So even though he was small, he was a tough small guy. The story goes on to say, that David, without sword, or spear, or protection gear, he was able to defeat Goliath the giant, and win, all in the name of the Lord. 

There is one specific verse I liked that I learned today. This is 1 Samuel 17: 33 "And David said  unto Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine" The Philistine is the Giant, to my understanding, and David was saying that his own heart wouldn't fail, and that he would fight.

I like this because when people think of a fight, they think of the physical strength and power. They think who is stronger will be the one to win. But this verse here, clarifies something specific and powerful. It talks about the heart. David doesn't worry about his physical strength failing, or his muscles, or his legs, or his swords, or spears. He says, that his own heart won't fail because of him. And it shows the true power behind the fight. It's the heart put into it. If we have our heart whole heartedly relying on Christ, then we will win and nothing else will matter.

I think the biggest thing I learned today, is that God is preparing us. This wasn't David's first fight with something bigger or stronger than him. He had fought a lion, and a bear, and then he fought a giant. I think it's important to remember that when we are going through a hard time; (and believe me, we are all going through a hard time). It's important to remember that we have been strengthened, in times past, and the struggle we are going through now, is strengthening us for something bigger to come. 

To me, it makes me a little anxious, thinking that this struggle I'm going through now just might only be a bear compared to a huge giant I'll have to fight later. But it also makes me feel blessed and honored, that the Lord himself, is preparing me, he is preparing me, a small girl of 18 years, who is only 10 months baptized in this church. He is preparing me to face a giant someday. And it makes me happy, and it gives me the ability to push on, to try more, and to realize that this challenge today, will still be here tomorrow, but I will be stronger tomorrow to bear the fight that comes again. 

We are all in a fight, and we are all in a battle, but we've been prepared. We have the strength, God has a plan, and we can fight, and we will win. David never lost strength, his heart never failed. And he relied solely on Christ and God to get him through.

Hold on, the fight is not yet over. But the fight is worth it. I promise. 

This is my testimony, of the Lord's love, and the Lord's strength. My testimony is not the same as yesterday, but stronger than yesterday's and the one that is preparing me to the fight the battle for tomorrow.

I say these things in sacred

 and powerful and beautiful name of 

Jesus Christ, Amen.