And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. — 1 Samuel 17:40
I have shared before about how my years as a paramedic prepared me for ministry. Sitting with people in their worst moments. Responding to the days no one would choose and the circumstances no one would wish for. Facing death in its most immediate and undeniable forms. Walking into rooms where families were shattered and lives were hanging by the thinnest thread. In those moments the words I spoke and the care I offered made a difference that few other people were positioned to make.
Could I save everyone? No. But I could impact their lives in those moments in ways that mattered. And I did not fully understand until much later that every one of those moments was being used by God to smooth something in me that He would eventually pick up and use.
Those years were my brook.
David did not run toward Goliath empty handed. Before he took a single step toward the giant he stopped at the brook. He bent down. He chose five smooth stones, not grabbed randomly but selected with intention. He was looking for something specific. The right size. The right weight. The right shape for the way his sling worked. He brought what he had, prepared with what was available, and then moved toward what he was facing.
The detail that deserves the most attention is the word smooth. These stones did not come out of the ground that way. They had been shaped by a process. The consistent flow of water over time had worn away everything rough and jagged and uneven until what remained was exactly what David needed. The tools he carried into the most significant battle of his life had been prepared long before the battle arrived. The brook had been doing its work without David even knowing it.
That is how God prepares His people. The seasons that felt like they were just flowing over you without producing anything visible were actually shaping something. The difficult calls, the hard conversations, the moments of grief and pressure and impossible situations — they were the water. And you were the stone. And what was being produced in you through that process was not wasted. It was being made smooth. Ready. Exactly fitted for the moment that was still ahead.
Preparation is not the opposite of faith. It is an expression of it.
David trusted God completely. And he also bent down and chose his stones carefully. He brought more than he needed, five stones for one giant, because he understood that faith and preparation work together rather than against each other. He showed up to the battle equipped. Not with Saul’s armor. With what had been shaped in him through his own experience with his own God.
One stone was all it took. But it was the right stone. Prepared by the right process. Held in the right hand. Aimed by the right God.
What has the brook been producing in you? What has God been smoothing through the seasons of difficulty and pressure and flowing water that felt like it was accomplishing nothing?
It was accomplishing everything. The stones are ready. The giant is waiting. Pick them up and draw near.
The brook was not wasting your time. It was smoothing your stones. What God prepared in you is exactly what this battle requires.
If these devotionals have encouraged you, you can stay connected with Another Well Ministries through our WhatsApp and Telegram channels, where we share new devotionals, Scripture, and ministry updates throughout the week.
You can also explore our other resources at anotherwell.org.
These devotionals are written to encourage, challenge, and support you in your walk with God. If they are meaningful to you, you can subscribe and receive them by email.
About Another Well Ministries
Another Well Ministries exists to help people slow down, listen deeply, and encounter God in the ordinary places of life. Through devotionals, reflections, and spiritual resources, we seek to create space for faith to be formed with honesty, grace, and hope.
To learn more about the heart of the ministry or explore additional resources, visit anotherwell.org.
