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DAVID the SAGE

by Lucas Johnson

We all know the story of David and Goliath—the young shepherd who defeated a giant and went on to become Israel’s greatest king. But what happens when a warrior king can no longer fight? What’s the next chapter when our primary identity no longer fits who we’ve become?

When the Warrior Can’t Fight

Even the greatest among us face this reality. Consider Mike Tyson, once “the baddest man on the planet,” stepping into the ring at 58 years old against Jake Paul. Despite his legendary status, time had caught up with him—he looked stiff and had clearly lost his step.

David faced a similar situation. In 2 Samuel 21:15-17, we find him in battle against the Philistines where “David became weak and exhausted.” A giant named Ishbi-benob nearly killed him before his nephew Abishai came to the rescue. His men declared, “You are not going out to battle again, for why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?”

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DAVID the KING

From Shepherd to King: Lessons from David’s Reign

The story of David fascinates me because scripture presents him as both aspirational and deeply flawed. He’s someone to look up to, yet the Bible doesn’t hold back on showing the messiness of his life. This gives me hope—if David could be called “a man after God’s own heart” despite his failings, perhaps there’s hope for all of us.

The Shepherd King

David’s journey to the throne wasn’t smooth. After being anointed as a boy, he had to wait decades before becoming king. When Saul died, a civil war erupted—David’s tribe of Judah backed him while Saul’s loyalists supported Ishbosheth, Saul’s son. As 2 Samuel 3:1 tells us: “During the long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, David was growing stronger and the house of Saul was becoming weaker.”

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DAVID the WARRIOR

We all face giants in our lives—challenges that seem impossible to overcome. The ancient story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) offers timeless wisdom for confronting these obstacles. Beyond the Sunday school flannel board version we might remember from childhood lies a profound blueprint I call “The Warrior’s Code”—seven principles that guided a shepherd boy to an unlikely victory and can help us face our own battles today.

The Battlefield Context

The story unfolds in the Valley of Elah, where Israelites and Philistines face off across a ravine. When Goliath—a 9’9″ warrior covered in 125 pounds of bronze armor—challenges Israel to send a champion, even King Saul is terrified. The experienced soldiers freeze, but young David, delivering bread and cheese to his brothers (essentially a pizza delivery driver!), steps forward with confidence.

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DAVID the SHEPHERD

In the story of David, we find a powerful example of how God develops leadership through unexpected beginnings. While many of us focus on David’s victories as king, his formative years as a shepherd boy laid the foundation for everything that followed.

The Problem with King Saul

Before we meet David, we need to understand why God was looking for a new king in the first place. Israel’s first king, Saul, looked the part perfectly – tall, strong, and commanding. He stood “head and shoulders above everyone else.” But despite his impressive appearance, Saul had weak character. He repeatedly took matters into his own hands, disobeying God’s commands and relying on his own strength rather than trusting God.

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Mental Health & Faith: The Path to Healing (Part 3)

This is the final installment in our three-part series on mental health truths. If you haven’t read Part 1 and Part 2, I encourage you to start there. Today, we’ll explore the final six truths about mental health and faith that can lead us toward healing.

TRUTH #13: You don’t have to be “strong enough.”

Let’s bust a common myth right now: “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is not in the Bible. Scripture says God won’t let you be tempted beyond what you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13), meaning there’s always a way to resist sin. But this has been twisted to suggest we should always be able to handle whatever life throws at us.

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Mental Health & Faith: Emotional Realities (Part 2)

This is the second post in our three-part series on mental health truths. If you haven’t read Part 1, I encourage you to start there. Today, we continue our exploration of mental health through a biblical lens.

TRUTH #7: Your emotions were created by God and serve a God-given purpose.

Emotions aren’t inherently bad. While they can lead to poor decisions if not properly regulated, the emotions themselves serve divine purposes. For instance, consider anger: Paul writes in Ephesians 4:26-27, “Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity.”

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Mental Health & Faith: Understanding the Foundations (Part 1)

There is a lot of misinformation concerning mental health getting spread around social media. It works its way into conversations with friends, opinions shared through news outlets, and it can even be propagated from our pulpits and Bible studies. Misinformation, falsehoods, and lies keep us trapped and prevent true healing from taking place. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

All Truth is God’s truth. Christians should never fear, run from, or suppress the truth in any way. Only by facing the truth can we begin to experience true freedom and healing. In this series, I’ll share several truths, backed by Scripture, concerning mental illness. Together we can begin the journey of healing!

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RECOVER YOUR LIFE: an Anchoring Faith in Times of Trauma

Concluding our “Am I Okay?” series on mental health

Over the past several weeks, we’ve been exploring various mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Today, we’re concluding this series by discussing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex PTSD, and religious trauma syndrome.

Understanding PTSD

According to studies, about 9% of US adults will experience some form of PTSD in their lifetime. While commonly associated with war or major accidents, PTSD can stem from many traumatic events. Two people can experience the same event, yet only one may develop PTSD symptoms – it’s often related to brain chemistry and neural pathways.

PTSD was first recognized by the Swiss military in 1678, though not to the extent we understand it today. Throughout history, it was often called “shell shock” or “combat exhaustion.” Like other disorders we’ve discussed, PTSD involves the over- or under-activation of certain brain structures and changes in neurotransmitter levels.

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SABOTAGING MY BEST INTENTIONS: a Biblical Look at ADHD

In my 37 years of church attendance, I’ve never heard a sermon about ADHD. When I was growing up in the 90s, ADHD was just “that one weird kid who couldn’t control himself.” The kid interrupting the teacher, making everyone lose focus. The “bad kid” on “that weird pill.” Thankfully, we are beginning to break those stereotypes!

But ADHD isn’t new, and it’s not rare. About 11% of children ages 3-17 have been diagnosed with it. It has a strong genetic component, being an inherited disorder. And like depression and anxiety, it’s caused by over- or under-activation of certain brain structures and a decrease in specific neurotransmitters. The science of it all is just a Google-search away.

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FLY AWAY AND FIND REST: Understanding Anxiety from a Faith-Based Perspective

In our fast-paced world, anxiety has become increasingly prevalent, affecting millions of Americans each year. As someone who has experienced anxiety firsthand, I understand the challenges of addressing mental health issues with both sensitivity and hope. Too often, well-meaning people can do more harm than good when discussing these topics, leaving those who struggle feeling worse about their condition or without hope for improvement.

The Reality of Anxiety Today

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting approximately 40 million adults—roughly 18% of the population. Perhaps more alarming is the significant increase in anxiety among children and college students since the 1950s. Today’s high school students often experience anxiety levels that would have been considered severe enough for hospitalization in previous decades, yet they’re expected to continue with their daily activities as if nothing were wrong.

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