Don’t Count Me Out

Person on a mountain at sunrise-God calling someone others overlooked.

Have you ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or counted out? Perhaps someone told you that you weren’t smart enough, strong enough, talented enough, or experienced enough to accomplish what God had placed in your heart. Maybe you’ve even counted yourself out.

If so, take heart. God has never measured His people by the standards of man. Throughout Scripture, He has always chose those whom others overlooked to accomplish extraordinary things for His glory.

In 1 Samuel 17, we are introduced to Goliath, a giant who stood nearly nine feet tall. Day after day, he challenged the armies of Israel, mocking the people of God and daring someone to fight him. His size, strength, and confidence struck fear into every soldier. Even the mighty men of Israel ran and hid.

Among those present were David’s three oldest brothers. They were older, stronger, and appeared more qualified for battle than David. Yet none of them stepped forward.

David was different.

He wasn’t at the battlefield looking for a fight. His father, Jesse, had simply sent him to bring food to his brothers. But when David arrived and heard Goliath’s threats, something stirred within him.

David asked,

“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26)

Instead of encouraging him, David’s brothers criticized him. They questioned his motives and tried to send him back home. Isn’t that just like the enemy? Sometimes discouragement comes from the very people closes to us. They may not see what God sees. They may judge us by our appearance, our age, our education, or our past.

But God never counts us out.

When David’s brothers tried to silence him, David simply replied,

“Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29)

Those words still speak to us today.

There is a cause.

There is a Cause to stand for Christ.

There is a cause to preach the Gospel.

There is a cause to pray.

There is a cause to reach lost souls.

There is a cause to remain faithful when the world says to give up.

David’s confidence did not begin on the battlefield. It had already been developed in lonely fields while tending his father’s sheep. Long before Goliath appeared, David had already experienced God’s power. The Lord had given him victory over both a lion and a bear. David knew it wasn’t his own strength that brought those victories-it was God.

Relationship with God produces confidence in God.

Because David had already proven God in private, he could trust Him in public.

When King Saul saw David, he tried to place his own armor on him. But after putting it on, David realized it wasn’t meant for him.

He said, in essence, “This isn’t how God prepared me.”

David had fought the lion and the bear without Saul’s armor. The only armor he wore was the armor of God. It was God’s strength, God’s protection, and God’s power that enable him to overcome both the lion and the bear.

Sometimes people will try to fit you into their expectations or convince you that you need to become someone else before God can use you. But God has already equipped you for the assignment He has given you.

The battle was never about David’s size.

It was never about Goliath’s size either. It was about the greatness of God.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 reminds us:

“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong…but time and chance happeneth to them all.”

Victory does not belong to those who appear to be the strongest. Victory belongs to those who trust in the Lord.

Like Goliath, the enemy still tries to intimidate us today. He whispers that we’ll never overcome our struggles, never fulfill our purpose, and never make a difference. One moment we feel victorious, and the next we feel defeated.

But God’s Word tells us to stand firm.

Galatians 5:1 says,

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Don’t go back to the chains that God has already broken. Walk in the freedom Christ has given you.

There is still a cause.

The world desperately needs Jesus. Men and women need to hear the truth of God’s Word. Families need healing. Broken hearts need hope. The lost need salvation. Our lives should reflect Christ so that others may see Him through us.

Sometimes people may count you out because they don’t see your value.

They may think you’re too young. Too old. Too quiet. Too broken. Too inexperienced. Too insignificant. But God says, “ I chose you.”

David’s brothers saw only a shepherd boy. God saw a king. The people saw a child. God saw a giant slayer.

David walked onto that battlefield carrying only five smooth stones, a sling, and complete confidence in the Lord. He didn’t defeat Goliath because of his own ability. He defeated him by the power and might of God.

One stone, guided by the hand of God, brought down a giant that an entire army feared. That same God is still fighting for His people today.

Romans 8:35 asks,

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

The answer comes in verse 37:

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Then Paul declares with confidence,

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come…nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

No matter what battle you are facing today, don’t let fear convince you that you’ve already lost.

Don’t allow people to define your future. Don’t allow your past to determine your purpose. Don’t allow the enemy to convince you that you’re not enough.

There is still a cause. God has a purpose for your life. He has not counted you out. He has counted you in.

So stand in faith. Trust Him completely. Keep running the race He has set before you. The same God who gave David victory over Goliath is the same God who will strengthen you for every battle you face.

With God giants still fall.

And those whom the world counts out often become the very ones God uses to display His greatest glory.