God uses present circumstances to prepare us for the future.

上帝藉我们现今的环境，装备我们面对未来。

The  who rescued me from the paw of the lion and . . . the bear will rescue me. 1 Samuel 17:37

耶和华救我脱离狮子和熊的爪，也必救我。-撒母耳记上17章37节

I worked at a fast-food restaurant for over two years in high school. Some aspects of the job were difficult. Customers verbalized their anger while I apologized for the unwanted slice of cheese on the sandwich I didn’t make. Soon after I left, I applied for a computer job at my university. The employers were more interested in my fast-food experience than my computer skills. They wanted to know that I knew how to deal with people. My experience in unpleasant circumstances prepared me for a better job!

我高中时曾在一家速食店工作了两年多，有时工作会碰到一些难处。有些顾客会因为三明治里放了一片他不喜欢的乳酪而对我大发雷霆。尽管那三明治并不是我做的，而且我也再三道歉了，但顾客仍是怒气难消。离职后不久，我在就读的大学里，应征一份与电脑相关的工作。那时，面试的主管对我在速食店工作的经验，比对我具备的电脑技能更感兴趣，他们想要确定我深谙与人应对之道。过去那些不愉快的经历，反倒为我预备了一份更好的工作！

Young David persevered through an experience we might well call unpleasant. When Israel was challenged to send someone to fight Goliath, no one was brave enough to step up to the task. No one but David. King Saul was reluctant to send him to fight, but David explained that as a shepherd he had fought and killed a lion and a bear for the sake of the sheep (1 Sam. 17:34–36). Confidently he stated, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and . . . the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (v. 37).

年轻的大卫也曾历经艰辛。当非利士的巨人歌利亚公然向以色列人挑衅时，除了大卫之外无人敢应战。扫罗王不太愿意派大卫前去争战，但大卫告诉扫罗王，他是牧羊人，有时为了要保护羊群，必须奋勇攻击狮子和熊，甚至杀死它们（撒母耳记上17章34-36节）。大卫信心十足地说：“耶和华救我脱离狮子和熊的爪，也必救我脱离这非利士人的手。”（37节）

Being a shepherd didn’t earn David much respect, but it prepared him to fight Goliath and eventually become Israel’s greatest king. We may be in difficult circumstances, but through them God might be preparing us for something greater!

大卫曾是个不被重视的牧羊人，但这却预备他得以迎战歌利亚，至终成为以色列国最伟大的君王。我们可能正身处困境，但上帝却能藉着这些困境，预备我们成就更大的事！

Lord, help me to hold on during the unpleasant times in my life knowing that You may be preparing me for something greater.

主啊，求祢帮助我度过艰辛的境遇，

并让我明白祢要藉此预备我成就更大的事。

1 Samuel 17:8New International Version (NIV)

8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.

整理：于姊妹