Scripture tells us repeatedly to take hold of God's strength. This is what David did. He was doing the right thing but the wrong thing kept happening to him year after year. His family looked down on him and treated him like he was second class. He could have been sour and upset. Instead, he kept taking care of his father's sheep, doing it with a good attitude and being a person of excellence. How could he keep standing strong? All through the day, I can imagine David reminding himself, "Don't get weary in well doing." When he was being good to King Saul, playing the harp for him, trying to make him feel better, Saul threw a spear and tried to kill David. David could have been frustrated and thought, "God, what's the use? I'm doing the right thing, and this man tried to take my life." Instead, he kept telling himself, "David, don't get weary in well doing."
He understood that when you give into weariness, you lose your strength. When you start thinking, "It's not fair. It's been so long. It's never going to work out," the energy you need to move into your destiny is being drained out. I'm not saying you should never feel weariness. It will come. I'm saying don't allow it in. When you're weary, you won't have the passion, determination or courage to fight the good fight of faith. Don't let battle fatigue keep you from your victory.
The prophet Samuel had anointed David to be the next king when he was a just a teenager. Thirteen years had gone by, and there was no sign of it happening. One day, David and 600 of his men returned from a battle and found that their city had been attacked and destroyed. All their possessions were burned. Their families were kidnapped. It was the worst defeat of David's life—his darkest hour.
The scripture says they wept until they could not weep anymore. David was beyond depressed and discouraged. I'm sure he was tempted to think, "God, this is the final straw. I've been doing the right thing for years. I can't take it anymore. I'm done." He could have given up, and that would have been the end of his story. He would have never taken the throne.
But when David was tired, when he felt like throwing in the towel, he did something that we all must do. He dug his heels in and said, "I've come too far to stop now." The scripture says, "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." He made this decision: "I'm not allowing this weariness in. I'm going to stir my faith back up." While the other men were weeping, discouraged and complaining, I can imagine David saying, "I'm strong in the Lord. I'm anointed. I'm well able. The forces that are for me are greater than the forces that are against me."
Today, follow David's example. Take hold of God's strength. Stir yourself up because you've come too far to turn back now. Press through to the victory God has in store for your future!