By MaQuettia “Denise” Ledet

 

I Samuel 30:8 And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

 

Many blessings! Congratulations to our newly elected city officials and many blessings to them as they move our city forward! Let’s remember to keep them in prayer, as they are daily faced with the concerns of our citizens, our economic growth, and our societal reform.

The last several weeks, I have had the privilege of assisting our school district with finishing up the year instructing students in a couple subjects; an experience that I hope is lasting for them as they transition into the next phase of their lives, whether that the next grade or college.

At the end of the year teachers are typically swarmed with students concerned about their grades and urgent about what efforts can be made to improve them. It provoked a thought, “How many of these students don’t give a great effort throughout the year, but suddenly become consumed with efforts of recovery?”

Probably most.

Instead of looking down upon their efforts, I thought about how awesome it is to be a child, and how Christ tells us to make ourselves as the children. They believe that though it is the end of the year, and though the grade is one thing, they can still affect a change with an increased effort.

I find that level of faith and urgency quite impressive, because there will be times in life when we are faced with unfavorable circumstances and times when it seems the door on an opportunity is either closing or closed.

In those moments we can either succumb to defeat or be immersed with urgency and confidence. In the scripture above, David finds himself in a time of defeat: his city destroyed, his wives and children taken, and his colleagues abandoning they trust in his leadership skills. David, however, did not yield to the defeat. First, he prayed. Then he defied what looked like final defeat, he defied the limits, he responded in an unorthodox manner. It was his response that caused him to COME OUT of defeat.

No matter what is going on now, you can COME OUT! First, pray. Invite God into your situation. Second, be determined to not see defeat as final. Defeat is an opportunity; an opportunity to revisit, an opportunity to be stretched in faith, an opportunity to redefine what is possible! Recover all. Rise up in faith, urgency, and effort and discover new paths to victory! Blessings!

 

MaQuettia “Denise” Ledet is Senior Leader, Impact Orange