Someone I know was sharing with me and a friend that they were struggling through some tough times. As I listened I felt for them and how overwhelmed they must be feeling. I remember this sorrowful person looking depressed and defeated stating, “Under the circumstances you can understand what I am going through.” My wise older friend quietly asked, “What are you doing UNDER the circumstances”?
Often we allow the circumstances we go through to dictate how we respond. We think it is only natural to do this, and we are right. It is OUR nature. What hope is there for us when we feel that our response to our troubles is always dictated by the circumstances?
God has a terrific answer to our dilemma. We do not have to be under the circumstances! An excellent example of being UNDER the circumstances is given to us in Numbers 13:32-33: “And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” (KJV)
“And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.” (Num. 14:1 ASV)
The Israelites responded to the news of giants in the land with fear. Their response was dictated by the circumstances and they continued to allow the circumstances to dictate to them: “All the Israelites grumbled and deplored their situation, accusing Moses and Aaron, to whom the whole congregation said, Would that we had died in Egypt! Or that we had died in this wilderness! Why does the Lord bring us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and little ones will be a prey. Is it not better for us to return to Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us choose a captain and return to Egypt.” (Num. 14:2-4 AMP)
Now God did not intend for them to be under the circumstances to begin with and He provided a way for them to rise above their circumstances: “Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of Israelites. And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among the scouts who had searched the land, rent their clothes, and they said to all the company of Israelites, The land through which we passed as scouts is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, neither fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their defense and the shadow [of protection] is removed from over them, but the Lord is with us. Fear them not.” (Num. 5-9 AMP)
We know the rest of the story, the Israelites chose not to believe Joshua or Caleb and sought to stone them, but God intervened and sent the Israelites to wander in the wilderness until all who had disbelieved had died. When the Israelites returned to the Promised Land, who was it that received the reward of the promise? Joshua and Caleb did not allow the circumstances to dictate their response because they trusted in and believed God would deliver them. By faith in God they rose above the circumstances.
One would think that the Israelites would learn their lesson about facing giants, but they did not. We find them again facing an enemy that sent paralyzing fear through them, and this time only one giant was with the enemy. 1 Sam. 17 gives us the familiar story about David and the giant Goliath. What was the response of King Saul and the armies of Israel when Goliath taunted them? “…they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” When David heard the taunting he was surprised that no one had gone to slay the giant. David (remembering his past victories by the hand of God over a lion and a bear that threatened his sheep) volunteered to fight Goliath. Goliath was a warrior more than twice David’s size but David did not allow the circumstances to dictate his response. He fought and won the victory that day for the forces of Israel because he trusted God to deliver him.
Do you feel like you are under the circumstances today? God is ready to face your giants with you and to deliver you. Just trust Him to do it. Joshua and Caleb did. David did. Won’t you?
“David is king because he conquered Goliath. The only reason why you are facing your Goliath right now is because God wants to promote you.” –Leon Patillo
