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“He vies for the bedside position…”

A thought by Max Lucado (2013-04-29) from his book, Facing Your Giants: God Still Does the Impossible (p. 164). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

One of the first things I do every day after I have read my Bible is to sit at my computer, go to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and write down a positive encouraging word to help to counteract that defeating voice that comes to my mind at the beginning of my day.  You know that voice that hits you, don’t you?

Max says, “He vies for the bedside position, hoping to be the first voice you hear. He covets your waking thoughts, those early, pillow-born emotions. He awakes you with words of worry, stirs you with thoughts of stress. If you dread the day before you begin your day, mark it down: your giant has been by your bed.”

Max goes on, “And he’s just getting warmed up. He breathes down your neck as you eat your breakfast, whispers in your ear as you walk out the door, shadows your steps, and sticks to your hip. He checks your calendar, reads your mail, and talks more trash than players in an inner-city basketball league. ‘You ain’t got what it takes.’ ‘You come from a long line of losers.’ ‘Fold your cards and leave the table. You’ve been dealt a bad hand.’

“He’s your giant, your Goliath. Given half a chance, he’ll turn your day into his Valley of Elah, taunting, teasing, boasting, and echoing claims from one hillside to the other. Remember how Goliath misbehaved? ‘For forty days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant strutted in front of the Israelite army’ (1 Sam. 17: 16 NLT).”

Max then says, “Goliaths still roam our world. Debt. Disaster. Dialysis. Danger. Deceit. Disease. Depression. Super-size challenges still swagger and strut, still pilfer sleep and embezzle peace and liposuction joy. But they can’t dominate you. You know how to deal with them. You face giants by facing God first. Focus on giants— you stumble. Focus on God— your giants tumble.”

David picked up five smooth stones to counteract his Goliath.  Max uses your five fingers to remind you of the five stones you need to face down your Goliath.  Come back and we’ll share those.

Yes, yes, if you focus on God your Giants will tumble.  Yes, they will.


So, how are you doing counteracting your giant’s voice?
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