Making Molehills Out of Mountains

“The Lord will deliver me.” 1 Samuel 17:37

We have all heard the saying, “you’re making a mountain out of molehill.” Today I want you to see how you can do the opposite. With God’s help you can make a molehill out of a mountain. That is what David did when he faced Goliath.

David did not deny reality. Goliath was a real giant that would have made Shaq look small by comparison. In the same way, you are facing a real giant. Your challenge is real. The disease is real. The relationship is troubled. The financial challenge is obvious. The giant is real. We all face at least one giant, and you can't ignore it, and it's no help to be told there is no problem.

More importantly, however, giants are subject to exaggeration, which is precisely what Israel’s army, David’s brothers, and the king did. We tend to do the same. All problems are subject to exaggeration, but they are also subject to defeat. I believe firmly that every problem in life has a solution. Further, I believe that every problem in life can be magnified beyond its real impact. Do not give too much power to your problem.

The main part of the solution is to embrace the truth that God will deliver you. When everyone else saw a giant only, David saw a problem that could be met and defeated through God’s strength. He said, “The Lord will deliver me.” That is one reason he is called “a man after God’s own heart.”

Let today be that point in your life when you decide, with God’s help, to make a molehill out of that mountain. This can happen in a number of ways. You will no longer allow hurts from the past to ruin your present and your future. You decide to trust God more deeply than you fear your trial. You start celebrating success and blessing instead of rehearsing defeat and discouragement. All these can help.

Because I know a great many people reading this are facing a giant of a problem, allow me to give you one final bit of guidance. You might not see your way through to the solution today, tomorrow, or even next week or next year! The delay in your deliverance is not because you are not faithful enough or did not pray hard enough. God works slowly, almost always slowly, in order to build your faith. During this slow time you can’t figure out a solution to your problem. The giant lingers. What do you do?

Sometimes when you can’t figure out a solution, you can clearly see how to not make the problem worse. I see many Christians regularly fail at this point. Something happens that displeases them, and perhaps after an interim period where they wait and expect a solution they decide to do something, and the something is almost always counter-productive. They confront the giant in anger, or in some other way allow emotions to take over. They may lose faith, stop praying, or stop going to church. They may start talking to everyone else about their problem (i.e. gossiping). They may become irritable or resentful. Do any of these actions accomplish anything positive? All you likely have done is make the problem worse and more hurtful for you.

The bottom line here is simple, while you are waiting for the Lord’s deliverance, make certain that you do nothing to make the problem worse, or make the giant bigger, or multiply the giants!

Take a deep breath of the Spirit, say the Lord’s Prayer, read the book of Philippians. These are the things you can positively do while waiting for God to act. The giant’s days are numbered. In some way, you need to make “the Lord will deliver me” a part of your daily conviction and daily prayer.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

October 10, 2011