David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved each man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord 1 Samuel 30:6.
You have probably read about the time when David and his men came home one day to Ziklag to find that everything and everybody had been carried away by their enemies. David’s men were a mess. They blamed David and wanted to stone him. But David did something different. He encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord. Then he went out and the Lord gave him victory. The Lord restored.
How did he do that?
He began to remind himself of all the times the Lord had shone Himself strong on his behalf. 
Maybe he first thought of the lion that he was able to kill with the strength the Lord gave him. Then he might have reminded himself of how with one smooth stone he was able to defeat the huge Philistine warrior Goliath, because the Lord was with him. Then he might have reminded himself of the many battles he had won against his enemies and how the Lord had kept him safe from Saul’s vengeful pursuit.
When trouble comes one of things that we can do is encourage ourselves in the Lord. I remind myself of how the Lord miraculously delivered my children from a house fire, how the Lord healed my neck after I had a whiplash injury.
He provided for me to go to graduate school.
I was in the middle of a painful divorce. As I prayed one day, the Lord put it in my heart to get my Master’s degree. I had no money and plenty of financial needs supporting my three children. Also the closest program was an hour and a half from our home and I was working full time. How could I possibly go back to school? But the Lord took care of everything.
That very month a branch of a New York City college was started twenty minutes from my house. It had the very graduate degree I needed. I applied and was accepted. I remembered that one of my colleagues had been given credits for her work experience. The school gave me nine credits based on my experience. The classes were at night so that I did not have to give up my job. I was able to go part time so the impact on my children was minimal. God is good!
That is just one of the many, many times the Lord has shown Himself strong on my behalf. I like to remind myself of the Lord’s great ability on my behalf when ever trouble strikes.
What has the Lord done for you?
When trouble strikes let’s do like David and encourage and strengthen ourselves in the Lord.
Jesus is Lord!
