Stones

Read a church sign on the way to work the other day. It said "Every Goliath has a stone." You remember how David killed Goliath with a single stone from his sling shot. Here was this massive giant, towering over David. David used his faith in God to walk out on the battlefield and face the giant without sword, or shield, or armor-just a stone.

Each of us has battled or will be battling Goliaths in our own personal lives. My greatest Goliath has been fear. I think the greatest thing fear excels at is causing me to be indecisive. Should I do this? What if I do and then X happens? What if I do and I should have picked Y? Sound familiar to you? Yeah, I'm tired of that recording playing in my head. How do I defeat the Goliath? Hebrews 11:6 talks about faith and God. The thing is, I don't have just one stone. Jesus has unlimited stones and He's standing right beside me with the first dozen or so.

Reach in the bag and pull one out. It reminds me of a perfect piece of coal. Why coal? It was one of the "rocks" I used to collect as a child.
I'm in the process of doing deep editing in one of my novels. I have cut entire scenes, I have added action where it needed to be, and I have added depth. It was good before, and I got positive reviews to that effect, but I want it to be great.

Put the stone in my sling shot that says on it "I can do this. I can have a successful career as a writer." Goliath is down. Uh oh. Here comes his twin brother. And he's twenty times the size of the other. He's got two heads, arms the size of buildings, and clubs in each hand. His breath is like month old used baby diapers, and his eyes are yellow. He fingers end in razor like nails that drip poison. And he wants me to stay put.

In my heart I know it's time to move on, to leave the state I'm living in and move to a place that is more me. I've found a place that fits me like a well-worn slipper. I've visited, and whenever I have to leave I'm sad. When it's time to come back to this city, I'm jumping up and down in excitement. It's a city that took me by complete surprise with its friendly folk, and humongous lakes, independent bookstores, and Highlander Grogg coffee. (As I write this I'm smiling ear to ear).

But Goliath's twin brother is Causing me to fear leaving. Has me frozen in fear. Jesus doesn't even bother looking at him. He hands me a stone, tells me He will always be with me and to not fear. I look at the stone, it says "FAITH". And yet I hesitate to put the stone in the sling.

What if it doesn't kill this Goliath? What if what Goliath 2 is saying is true? What if leaving is the greatest mistake? Shouldn't I listen to others who seem to always know what I should do, where I should work, where I should live, who I should date?

Or should I be listening to the one person who paid the ultimate sacrifice for me, has no hidden agendas, and stands by my side every time a Goliath shows up. Do you know Him? Hs name is Jesus.

So what did I do? I haven't done it yet? I'm standing with the stone Jesus gave me in my hand to either slay or run away from the largest giant in my life.