Have you ever found yourself in a place where everything feels like it’s falling apart?
Not just one thing. But everything.
I remember such a season when I was a single mom. Everything—I mean everything fell apart or broke. And I found myself in situations I never thought would happen to me.
Betrayal. Arrests. (Yep!) Extortion. Near-death experiences. (Read Shame Off You for all these testimonies.)
Though those experiences are all water underneath the bridge now, the truth is, overwhelming seasons come and go again, posing new problems that seem too difficult to overcome.
Honestly, I feel like I live there…perpetually.
So, how do we rise above all the noise and pain when it remains? When the problems don’t go away?
That’s where David found himself in 1 Samuel 30.
It wasn’t enough that he was continually on the run from Saul. But found himself in a devastating circumstance that seemed irreparable.
He returned to Ziklag to find it burned.
Everything gone.
His family taken.
His people devastated.
And then—if that wasn’t enough—
The very people who once followed him turned against him.
“David was greatly distressed… the people spoke of stoning him…” — 1 Samuel 30:6
Loss.
Grief.
Pressure.
Isolation.
David was in a tight place.
And yet, right there in the middle of it all, Scripture tells us something remarkable:
“…But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”
What Do You Do When Everything Feels Against You?
David didn’t deny the pain.
He felt it deeply.
He was distressed.
He wept.
But he didn’t stay there.
He turned upward before he moved forward.
And that’s the invitation for us, too.
When:
…the situation feels overwhelming
…the people around you don’t understand
…the outcome feels uncertain
You don’t have to figure it all out first.
You just have to look up.
This does not necessarily mean to lift your eyeballs to the ceiling. But sometimes looking up can help us to take our eyes off what has been keeping us discouraged.
Because the truth is, we are surrounded. By God and His angels, who are far greater than any problem or person who would seek to harm us.
What It Means to Strengthen Yourself in the Lord
It isn’t about willpower.
It’s about re-centering your soul in who God is.
David likely:
• remembered God’s past faithfulness
• returned to truth instead of fear
• sought God before making his next move (v. 8)
Strength didn’t come from fixing the situation. It came from fixing his focus.
Y’all…it is mental warfare. spiritual warfare. It means turning down the doubts in our brains and turning up faith in Jesus. HE IS ENOUGH! His Word is enough!
Our belief or unbelief will determine whether we have victory, and we should recognize that when we are surrounded by problems, we are also surrounded by One Who is so much bigger than our problems.
With the Psalmist, we proclaim:
“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:13–14, NASB).
We despair when we choose to believe our own thoughts instead of God’s promises. He is good! Even when life is so very hard.
Strength grows when we return to God before we react to circumstances.
Scripture Reflection:
“…But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” — 1 Samuel 30:6
Strength doesn’t always look like having answers. Sometimes it looks like turning to God when everything in you wants to give up. In the hardest moments, strength is found not in ourselves, but in Him.
Prayer:
Lord, You see the places where we feel overwhelmed, discouraged, and unsure of what to do next. Teach us to strengthen ourselves in You—to turn to You before we turn inward. Remind us of Your faithfulness, Your presence, and Your power. When everything feels against us, help us look up and find our strength in You. Amen.
Visit the ShameRX Blog for Fighting Shame From Overwhelm
All for Jesus,
Denise