The prophet, Samuel, was told by God to go to Jesse’s house. One of Jesse’s eight sons would be Israel’s second king. Jesse presented Samuel with seven of his sons. Samuel rejected them all and asked Jesse if there was anyone else.

“Jesse has seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’
‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending sheep.’
Samuel said, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.’
So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; this is the one.'”
1 Samuel 16:10-12 NIV

Jesse was told by the prophet, Samuel, that Israel’s next king would be one of his sons. He gathered seven sons and one of the sons is left out of the initial presentation. Geez, think how that would feel! It seems that his Dad does not think of him when he thinks of who would be king of Israel. So much of who we become is defined by our parents or the adults that raise us. Psychodynamic Theory says that our childhood experiences between the age of 0-6 years old define and drive a lot of our adult unconscious behavior; things like trauma, pain, and poverty can become lifelong stumbling blocks. That means that my belief system, goals, and dreams could be hindered or helped by a period of time that I had no control over. However, we can look at King David’s life as a way of overcoming.

“I will be careful to lead a blameless life- when will you come to me?”
Psalm 101:2

I created this God space in my life. One, that includes prayer, reading the Bible, and journaling. It has been in this space that a lot of the harm of life (that I wasn’t aware of) has been revealed and healed. An figurative example would be: I walk with a symbolic limp. However, since the “limp” has always been there, I accept it and normalize it. Except, when the “limp” is revealed and healed, by God, I realize how much it was harming me and holding me back. The things that have been given to me are not anything, I could have the capacity to ask for. I have just been showing up and expecting to come into God’s presence. That’s it!

“So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.”
1 Samuel 16:13 NIV

David is declared King of Israel in the privacy of his home and only his brothers and Dad know. AND…Saul, Israel’s first king is still in power. In fact, it would be fifteen years before what was declared in secrecy actually happens.

“I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart.”
Psalm 101:2

If you have come from a cycle of early pain, trauma, chaos, harm, and poverty,  You can choose adult living that gives these familiar experiences. It’s called the unconscious comfort zone. An example is if you are used to chaos and harm, you will sabotage every romantic relationship by breaking trust and safety. You could find yourself activated in a relationship that is loving and good. As in, your nervous system is dysregulated (you are nervous and anxious when the relationship is safe and full of love) and you react by sabotaging it by cheating and injecting harm.

The Holy Spirit was with David and it was fifteen long years before he would get to purpose. Walking with a blameless heart looks a lot like submission, faith, trust, and obedience. This is a choice. God lets us choose. The choice is all the way from disbelief to full surrender. God lets us choose our level of living. My own personal experience is that the more people are unaware of the systems that drive their life, the more pain and harm influence their decisions.

“I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”
John 10:10 NIV

Jesus came to give us eternal life. He came to give us a life of thriving. Thriving plus Jesus is self-actualization. It is allowing Jesus to transform our emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, and financial self. It is a sense of general well-being. It is that you are your highest best self and the proof of that is good deeds and a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment. Only 1% of the population will achieve this.

Which means most of us settle for no Jesus or Jesus on Sunday. This leaves us anxious and depressed; mental illness and chronic illness are growing. We numb life by shopping, food, sex, drugs, and alcohol. It is choosing a life that you have to medicate yourself to survive. I am prompted to add that choosing Jesus in a way doesn’t bring you freedom and thriving is another way to numb life.

“Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, ‘Send me your son David, who is with sheep.’ So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.”
1 Samuel 16:19-20 NIV 

I returned to school last year. My goal was to be an Anesthesiologist Assistant. I would have been great at it. I also would have made a ton of money doing it because of my work ethic. I would still be cloaked to my old system of thinking though.

David was anointed king and he returned to his job of tending sheep for his father. The difference, though, is that he returned with the Holy Spirit and now is in alignment with God’s will. That alignment brings him in close to work for Saul, the king, and gain knowledge of his future position.

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”
Psalm 143:10 NIV

I would have been great and made a lot of money in Anesthesia. This path I am on with God looks a lot like showing up in fellowship with God and being open to the experiences it brings. I ask for wisdom and alignment. What I have gotten is healing of my belief system that was leaving me feeling harmed. I am being given experiences that purge behaviors that don’t make me effective and there is an edification and amplification of my best self. This path also feels bigger than my chosen one ever could have been.

“So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”
1 Samuel 17:50 NIV

This is the story of David and Goliath. David defeats the enemy, with his strengths and what the world would call weakness. This battle displays who David is. Warrior David is who Israel will need when David becomes king. We choose God’s will because it leads to a way bigger life than we can create for themselves. We choose God’s way because it leads to emotional, physical, spiritual, mental, and financial freedom.

“I will be careful to lead a blameless life- when will you come to me?”
Psalm 101:2 NIV

We develop a relationship with God on our own. We show up to regularly fellowship with God. We come expecting to experience the presence of God and in these experiences we are made whole.

“I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart.”
101:2 NIV

This is security in God. Purpose. Integrity. Confidence.

“I will not look with approval on anything vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. The perverse of heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with evil.”
101:3-4 NIV

This is a sense of living consciously. A sense of responsibility.

“My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one who walks blameless will minister to me.”
101:6 NIV

This is acceptance, belonging, and a sense of self-worth.

Our walk with God gives us all the parts of healthy self-esteem.

 

 

 

 

 

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