SAYS FYL

Sometimes I wish the Christian life came with a to-do list from God. Imagine waking up each morning to find one on your nightstand: Today’s plan. Signed, God. No second-guessing. No wrestling. Just clear directions to follow.

But that’s not how God works. More often, life feels like a blank page. And so we pray. We wait. We look for signs, for confirmations, for the heavens to part with clarity. That’s exactly what Saul and Israel’s army did in the valley as Goliath loomed large over them. I’m sure they prayed a lot. I’m sure they sacrificed too. But mostly—they waited. And waiting, without boldness, left them paralyzed.

I have read the story of David and Goliath a thousand times, probably heard it even before I could walk. And all this time, I assumed the story was about young David obeying God’s direct orders. But that’s not true. God never told David to fight the giant. He didn’t whisper which weapon to use or how many stones to pick up. David took the initiative to bring Goliath’s taunts to an end. He made the choice that pivoted the story in a dramatic new direction. God did not hand him a to-do list with “defeat Goliath” to check off.

And yet David ran toward the giant. That’s boldness. Not recklessness—but confidence rooted in God’s proven presence. He remembered lions and bears, victories already won, and believed that was enough direction for today. His boldness wasn’t in himself, but in the God who had always been with him.

Early church writers like Augustine saw David’s five stones as symbols of spiritual weapons—faith, obedience, prayer, trust, and zeal. The first four are postures of the heart, fueling us from within. But they remain passive unless paired with zeal—boldness that refuses to stand still. That’s what I see in David: the boldness to act without waiting for further instruction. He didn’t need another sign. He didn’t hesitate. He moved.

True Christian life isn’t timid or frozen in endless waiting. It’s marked by bold faith—faith that risks, faith that runs, faith that acts on the evidence God has already given.

Maybe the giant in front of you isn’t a reason to stop and pray one more time. Maybe it’s the very invitation to live boldly today.

So don’t wait for the list. Take the stones in your hand. Be bold. Run toward the giant.

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