We’re all confronted by life’s giant waves — the type that threaten to overcome wash us away, aren’t we? For as long as I can remember, there have been giants in my life and in my land. Some are uglier and bigger than others, but all of them stand before me, threatening the stability and security of my life. A “giant” is a representative of those obstacles or issues that come into our lives and tempt us to live in fear, or that cause us to wonder where God has gone; those threatening issues that are gigantic to our hearts, and cause us to worry and lose hope.
My giants are of different sizes.
Financial; fears of how a child will turn out; marriage stresses, pressures, and misunderstandings; deep loneliness for me or another family member; medical problems that don't go away; relationship issues with family; devastating circumstances in loved ones' lives; weariness; and often, fear of the future.
There were also many instances of giants in scripture. In Numbers 13, we read the story of Moses sending out twelve leaders to spy out the land God had promised to give them. Even though these men indeed found the land to be a place of milk and honey as God had promised, they gave a bad report to their people and said, "The land was a land of milk and honey, but there were people who were very strong and very large. … We were as grasshoppers in our own sight and so we became in their sight." Consequently these men swayed the people to disbelieve in God's ability to provide for them, and the result was 40 years wandering in the desert wilderness.
This is such a picture to me of what happens when we see “giants” and don't face them with God's strength. We become as grasshoppers in our hearts. We become small minded, fearful, and ineffective. Then, God gives us over to our faithlessness and we end up "wandering in the wilderness." Faithlessness always leads to a wilderness of soul.
As I see it, in scripture, giants gave people a great opportunity to glorify God--to see His faithfulness, to believe in His goodness, to conquer. We really can't walk with God and have fear and disbelief at the same time. Our heart has only enough room for one of the other. People sometimes say to me, "I feel like God is far off from me and doesn't even hear my prayers" when actually, they are the ones who have left His presence and companionship behind by disbelieving Him in the midst of their fears—just as I sometimes do.
Caleb and Joshua saw the giants, but they saw God and His strength more clearly. They believed He could conquer and lead them in victory. Because of their faith, they were the only men who were allowed to go into the promised land after the 40 years of discipline were completed.
God's response to the disbelieving Israelites was this:
"Surely all the men who have seen my glory and my signs, which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not listened to my voice."
Yikes--how often have I seen God's faithfulness in my own life and then still looked at the next giant with fear and faithlessness! Sometimes I just get tired of giants and want to coast for a bit with an easy season. Am I grumbling against Him when the giants come, or resting and waiting patiently for His solutions because I see Him in His glory and faithfulness and lovingkindness?
I am learning that God is stronger than all of my giants, so it is a waste of time to live by fear. When I give my giants into His hands, I find rest for my soul.
Old giants will be defeated. New ones will come. But this life, these giants, are the best way I have to live a story of faith and to show God's glory--this is the way I will model faith in my home, so that my children can learn how to face their own giants.
Today, I will look my giants in the face and see God's shadow towering over them, the Lord of Hosts fighting for me. There will always be seasons of storms when we feel every day that we’re drowning in loneliness, pain, or uncertainty, but there will always be comfort and hope to be found in God.