Encourage Yourself!
Leadership has its’ perks, but it carries with it a tremendous amount of responsibility and the potential for great sorrow as well. As a leader you are called upon to make many decisions. When they go well, the people rejoice. When they don’t go well, the outcry is thunderous. Sometimes the outcome of a situation is not as a result of your input, it may have been a situation you inherited. If the situation has a negative impact, you are as guilty as if you made the decision yourself because it happened on your watch.
Such was the case of David in 1Samuel 30:
And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;
2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.
3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives1 Samuel 30:1-3 (NLT)
War was all around – while David was away the Amalekites had come and taken away all the wives and sons, including David’s, and burned the city of Ziklag. This was not David’s fault, but it happened on his watch. The men were so angry that they talked of stoning David.
It is here that David had a choice. Surrender to the opinion of the people and in despair await his fate; or, he could seek the lLord for what his response should be. David chose the later and as a result:
David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God. ! Samuel 30:6 (NLT)
The result was astounding:
8 David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back.20 He also recovered all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock.1 Samuel 30:18-19 (NLT)
When all seems to fail around you, encourage yourself – in the Lord!
Maria