Every time a page in our farming book of life is turned it seems there is a paragraph of something coming against us. This year the paragraph has lengthened to a full page at times. Between the weather, the markets, employee issues and the most frustrating – government intrusion on the part of regulations, it makes you want to close the book and watch TV.
Recently, I was lamenting about the latest hoops we are expected to jump through. Hoops that are designed to keep certain groups of people happy over the ability for farmers to make a living and provide good, safe, affordable food for everyone.
At one point I said, “I feel like we are David in the battle against Goliaths.”
Very quickly I heard God’s voice – “David won.”
I turned off my outer voice and listened in my heart and was reminded that we get so busy dealing with, looking at, and being immersed in our trials that the truth is quietly pushed behind us. Like the Philistines when the giants confront us we let fear take over. It becomes a daily habit to the point that fearing and not confronting becomes our normal to the extent that overcoming isn’t even an option anymore.
David came from a different mindset. He hadn’t been in the camp of unbelief. He wasn’t surrounded by others that were weak like his brothers and the others. Who is in your camp? Are you sitting around the campfire at night sharing your problems and fears? Are you stoking the fires of unbelief?
David questioned the situation. He didn’t just accept the problem as being the normal. He made an effort to put the problem in proportion.
David tried to be an encouragement even though he was rebuked at being too young. You will always be too young, too old, too thin, too fat, too inexperienced, too vocal too - fill in the blank. Someone will always try to bring you back to the place of fear and inability to change the circumstances.
David was quick to remind his naysayer of all the things he had accomplished in the past. He spoke of all the battles in many different areas in his life that God had brought him through. With each event that David declared victory over he gained confidence. He strengthened himself in the knowledge that the Lord was with him and gave him the ability to overcome many obstacles that should have put an end to him.
He was coerced into putting on the same attire of those who failed to face the giant. Others will begin to share with you the way they failed, the things they did or didn’t do with expectations that you should do the same. Yet, he refused to follow the way of failure. He went back to the tools God had given him to conquer his past problems. He went with what he knew to be God’s way.
God’s way was totally opposite of what those in the camp believed. Even though they had failed many times they continued to promote that which did not work. It was more comfortable to continue down the path of failure than step out in another direction.
When David stood before the giant he spoke the truth. He admitted what was coming at him. He didn’t sugar coat it, ignore it, make it less than what it was. He acknowledged the daunting task that faced him BUT – and that’s a big BUT - he DECLARED. He spoke the truth over his giant. He turned the light of God’s truth on the situation. His God was bigger, tougher, stronger than the giant before him. He spoke and then he moved towards his giant. He took the light of God’s truth, aimed it into the face of his giant. He came out of the shadows of fear that had covered the camp and slayed the giant.
As farmers we have faced many giants this year. Weather, sickness, breakdowns, poor market prices, unfair legislation, fake news, family issues and more.
In my quiet moment with God he reminded me of all the things we had faced and walked through in the past. At the time our light was dimmed and we could only see the giant before us. We weren’t always quick to shine the light on the problem. But over and over the light came through. The giants have fallen – not always in the neat tidy way we wanted, yet they fell.
If you are a farmer looking out over fields that have yet to be harvested, are totally exhausted from doing the work of three people, not making ends meet, dealing with yet another breakdown or whatever it is, remember the light you have access too.
Whoever you are, you could be facing health issues, financial issues, employment problems, a sick child, aging parents. Dealing with your kids as they grow older and watching them make bad choices. Whatever valley you are traveling through, whatever giant stands before you flaunting struggles, you have a light to use.
We need to quit living in the shadow and walk in the light. I hope while in the shadow of our giants we don’t become so discouraged that we drop the light and find a comfortable corner in the darkness to dwell.
I pray we become so aware of the light and use it that the giant’s shadow has no effect on us.
