When you can't find encouragement then strengthen yourself in the Lord

Have you ever been discouraged and there was no one to lift you up? At those times we must be able to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. David had a situation where he had to do just that. We find this account in 1 Samuel 30:1-6 . ( If you are thinking about doing yourself harm then please seek medical attention immediately.) 

While David and his men were away from their families the Amalekites made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag. During this raid they took captive the families of David and his men.

In addition to the grief of having his own wives taken captive, he also was distressed because the people were angry and talked about stoning him. David is very troubled and has no source of encouragement. He couldn’t look for encouragement from those around him because they wanted to stone him. But David had learned the needed quality of strengthening himself in God.

1 Samuel 30:6
6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

When we are troubled we need the encouragement of our brothers and sisters in Christ. But there may be times when we have no one to lift us up. During these times we must strengthen ourselves. We must not neglect prayer. We must seek God and His Word. And we must hold on to any promise that God gives us. We must hold on to the promised like a pit bull and refuse to let go.

Let me leave you with one other passage where David did self-encouragement. This verse is found in Psalm 119:52

52 I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O LORD,
        And comfort myself.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)

God bless

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