Courage to Face the Giants
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
40 and picked up his shepherd's stick. He went out to a stream and picked up five smooth rocks and put them in his leather bag. Then with his sling in his hand, he went straight toward Goliath. 41 Goliath came toward David, walking behind the soldier who was carrying his shield. 42 When Goliath saw that David was just a healthy, good-looking boy, he made fun of him. 43 “Do you think I'm a dog?” Goliath asked. “Is that why you've come after me with a stick?” He cursed David in the name of the Philistine gods 44 and shouted, “Come on! When I'm finished with you, I'll feed you to the birds and wild animals!” 45 David answered: You've come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I've come out to fight you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. He is the God of Israel's army, and you have insulted him too! 46 Today the Lord will help me defeat you. I'll knock you down and cut off your head, and I'll feed the bodies of the other Philistine soldiers to the birds and wild animals. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a real God. 47 Everybody here will see that the Lord doesn't need swords or spears to save his people. The Lord always wins his battles, and he will help us defeat you. 48 When Goliath started forward, David ran toward him. 49 He put a rock in his sling and swung the sling around by its straps. When he let go of one strap, the rock flew out and hit Goliath on the forehead. It cracked his skull, and he fell facedown on the ground.
1 Samuel 17:40-49
Memory Verse
John 16:33
33 I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.
Have you ever been scared to do something, like try out for a team, speak in front of the class, or even ask for help? I know I have! It’s easy to feel nervous or worried when we don’t know how things will turn out. But guess what? Jesus knew we’d face tough stuff, and he told his friends something important: "While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.” It's like Jesus was saying, "Even when things get super hard, remember I’ve got this!"
This reminds me of the story of David and Goliath. David wasn’t a warrior or a strong guy. He was just a kid who took care of sheep. But when everyone else was scared of the giant Goliath, David trusted God to help him. He didn’t need to be the biggest or the bravest. With just a slingshot and a stone, David beat Goliath because he knew God was on his side. That’s real courage, trusting God even when something feels super scary!
So, here’s what I’m going to do this week when I face something scary. I’m going to remember that I can trust God to help me. How about you? Remember, courage isn’t about not being afraid. It’s about trusting that God is with you and taking a small step forward anyway.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, sometimes I feel scared, but I know you’ve already won the battle. Help me to trust you even when things feel tough. Give me the courage to face this week, knowing you’re always with me. Amen.Related Resources
Tanya Yuen
Tanya Yuen is a pastor who serves in the denominational office of the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec with the privilege of supporting pastors in children and family ministry. She also gets to spend time in Muskoka at Camp Kwasind in the summer, sharing about Jesus with kids. She is mom to 3 girls and together with her husband, Alfred. They spend as much time as possible hiking the trails around the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario.