The Underestimated Believer

Underestimated David

When King Saul disobeyed God, the prophet Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse to anoint (dedicate with oil for a special office) a new king. Samuel looked at the oldest, strongest sons of Jesse and assumed God would choose one of them. But God corrected Samuel:

Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Finally, David, the youngest brother, was brought in from tending the sheep. Though he was the least expected candidate, God chose David.

Later, when young David offered to fight the giant Goliath, his own brothers scolded him and told him to go back to the sheep. King Saul also tried to discourage him, pointing out that David was just a boy, while Goliath was a seasoned warrior. They all underestimated what God could do through a young person. Goliath himself felt insulted when he saw David coming to fight.

The only ones who did not underestimate David were God and David himself. David did not rely on his own strength. Instead, he remembered how God had delivered him from danger in the past. He trusted God completely to gain the victory.

The Underestimated Christian

Like David, you may find that the people closest to you have little faith in your abilities. Sometimes, this is because we haven’t proven ourselves yet. Or worse, maybe we have failed and acted irresponsibly in the past. If you have broken trust, you must work to rebuild it by keeping your promises and acting responsibly over time.

But what if you simply haven’t been given the chance to prove yourself? In those moments, you must trust God and believe in yourself, regardless of what others say.

For example, I know a young lady whose parents told her she wasn’t “college material” and wouldn’t even finish high school. Instead of giving up, she put her trust in God, leaned on the support of people who believed in her, and worked hard. Today, she has her high school diploma, is excelling in college with high honors, and is on her way to becoming a teacher. She proved her doubters wrong by trusting God’s strength rather than human opinions.

Do not let anyone discourage you from pursuing good goals. People will doubt you for different reasons:

• Some try to “protect” you because their own dreams were shattered.
• Some are naturally negative and will criticize any idea.
• Some are jealous and fear your success will make them look bad.
• Some simply do not realize they are being discouraging.

Overcoming the Doubters

If you are struggling with the weight of being underestimated, take these practical steps:

1. Pray to God for strength and place your security in Him.
2. Find people who believe in you. They are out there, even if you have to search to find them.
3. Discipline yourself to pursue your goals with endurance and energy (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

As the scripture says:

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. — Proverbs 22:29