In 1 Samuel 30, David and his men suffered a serious setback. They returned to camp to find that the Amalekites had raided their camp and captured all of their women and children. David’s men were so distressed, they wanted to stone him.

You may be feeling distressed yourself right now, but it’s probably not so bad that someone wants to stone you. Nevertheless, it can feel just as hopeless sometimes when you’re smack dab in the middle of a hardship, trial, or difficult circumstance. You know the path you’re on leads to victory in Christ, but you’re tripping over the very stones that pave that path.

Thankfully, from David’s story, we can learn 6 things to remember on your road to victory.

1.  The Source of Strength
“But David found strength in the Lord his God.” (v. 6) The only way to get through any difficult circumstance is to remember that your strength comes from God and from Him alone. If you rely on anything or anyone else, you will be let down.

2.  The Importance of Prayer
“David inquired of the Lord.” (v. 8) Often times, the most difficult part of any setback is not knowing what to do next. Your steps may not be clear, or it may seem that the roadblocks in front of you are so big that there aren’t even any steps for you to choose from. Ask God for clarity, wisdom, and discernment as to how, when and where to put one foot in front of the other.

3.  The Threat of Exhaustion
“Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley.” (v. 10) Even when God is in control, the possibility of exhaustion is still very real. Exhaustion does not necessarily mean you’re on the wrong path. Sometimes it simply means that God wants to do more of the work for you.

4.  The Need to Fight
“David fought…” (v. 17) That being said, even when God is working, He still requires you to work as well. This is where many people get discouraged because they think that everything should be easy if they’re following God. Not true. Sometimes you’re in the midst of a battle and you simply must fight.

5.  The Need to Persevere
“…from dusk until the evening of the next day…” (v. 17) Not only must you fight, but sometimes you must fight for a long time. Some battles require weeks of sleepless nights. Some require years of prayer. Some require a lifetime of persevering.

6.  The Promise of Restoration
“David recovered everything.” (v. 18) The joy in victory is in the restoration. Sometimes it happens this side of heaven, sometimes it doesn’t. But with the gift of eternal life, and the promise that not even death can separate us from God and His love, the promise of restoration is worth any hardship on the path to victory!

So no matter what you’re facing today, and no matter where you are on the road to victory, remember that every stone, even the difficult ones, are still important.

Q: Where are you on the road to victory?