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The Crazy & the Chaos Before the Blessings: Five Day Devotional

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Here are a few additional resources to guide your quiet time this week:


Day 1: When Life Falls Apart

Based on the Message: "The Crazy and the Chaos Before the Blessings" by Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

"David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God."- 1 Samuel 30:6

Devotional: Have you ever felt like your world was crumbling around you? David knew that feeling intimately. When he returned to Ziklag, everything he held dear was gone; his home burned, his family captured, his possessions stolen. The men who once followed him now wanted to stone him. In that moment, David found himself distressed in what the Hebrew describes as a 'narrow place' - a tight spot where one wrong move could mean disaster.


Life has a way of overwhelming us with chaos and circumstances that leave us questioning how we got here. Maybe you're facing financial struggles, relationship problems, health issues, or career setbacks. Perhaps people you trusted have turned against you, and you feel isolated and alone. These moments of crisis don't usually happen overnight; they often result from a series of decisions that gradually lead us away from God's best for our lives. However, here's the encouraging truth: even in our darkest moments, God hasn't abandoned us.


David's story reminds us that the Lord has a blessing after the chaos and after the crazy. When everything seems to be falling apart, that's often when God is preparing to do something new. Your current crisis might feel overwhelming, but it could be the very thing that redirects you back to God's perfect plan for your life. Remember, God sees your situation. He knows your pain, your confusion, and your fear. Just as He had a plan for David's restoration, He has a plan for yours too.

Quote: "But I'm here to remind you that the Lord has a blessing after the chaos and after the crazy." - Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

Question: What areas of your life feel like they're in chaos right now, and how might God be using this difficult season to redirect you back to His perfect will?


Prayer: Lord, when my world feels like it's falling apart, help me remember that You are still in control. Give me the strength to trust You in the midst of chaos and to believe that You have a blessing waiting after this storm. Help me not to make decisions based on fear but to seek Your perfect will for my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Day 2: Finding Strength in the Right Place

Based on the Message: "The Crazy and the Chaos Before the Blessings" by Bishop Derek L. Calhoun


"David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" "Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue." - 1 Samuel 30:8

Devotional: When David faced his darkest hour, with everything lost and his own men turning against him, he made a crucial decision that changed everything. Instead of relying on his military skills, political connections, or human wisdom, David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. This wasn't just positive thinking or self-motivation; it was a deliberate choice to draw strength from the only source that never fails. We live in a culture that tells us to 'believe in ourselves' and 'find strength within.'


While confidence has its place, true strength comes from connecting with our Creator. When we're overwhelmed, exhausted, or facing impossible situations, our own resources quickly run dry. But God's strength is limitless and available to us in our weakest moments. David understood something profound: there's a difference between operating in God's permissive will versus His perfect will.


In His permissive will, you can be busy doing many good things, but in His perfect will, you focus on doing the God thing. David had been making survival-based decisions, operating in fear rather than faith. But when he strengthened himself in the Lord, he repositioned himself to receive divine direction.


This is where breakthrough begins, not in our ability to figure things out, but in our willingness to surrender our plans and seek God's guidance. When we strengthen ourselves in the Lord, we tap into wisdom beyond our understanding and power beyond our limitations.

Quote: "But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." - Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

Question: Where have you been trying to find strength in your own abilities rather than strengthening yourself in the Lord, and what would it look like to make that shift today?


Prayer: Father, I confess that I often try to handle life's challenges in my own strength. Teach me to strengthen myself in You first, before making decisions or taking action. Help me to distinguish between being busy in Your permissive will and being productive in Your perfect will. Guide me to do the God thing, not just good things. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Day 3: God is Always Moving

Based on the Message: "The Crazy and the Chaos Before the Blessings" by Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

" In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.' - Genesis 1:2

Devotional: Even when we can't see Him working, God is always moving on our behalf. This truth becomes our anchor when circumstances seem hopeless and prayers feel unanswered. David learned this lesson in his wilderness season; sometimes God allows us to go through difficult experiences not because He's absent, but because He's preparing us for something greater.


Think about the beginning of creation when 'the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.' Even in the chaos and darkness, God's Spirit was moving, preparing to bring forth light and life. The same is true in your situation today.


What looks like chaos to you might be God's preparation for a new beginning. God's eyes are constantly searching throughout the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. He sees your faithfulness even when others don't. He notices your prayers even when they seem to go unanswered. He's working behind the scenes, orchestrating circumstances and preparing hearts for His perfect timing.


The key is learning to trust God's movement even when we can't trace His hand. David had to learn this lesson the hard way, but it transformed him from someone who reacted to circumstances into someone who responded to God's leading. When we truly believe that God is always moving, we can rest in His sovereignty even during our most challenging seasons.

Quote: "God is always moving, whether you see him or not." - Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

Question: In what areas of your life do you need to trust that God is moving even though you can't see evidence of His work yet?


Prayer: Lord, help me to trust that You are always moving on my behalf, even when I can't see or understand what You're doing. Give me faith to believe that You're working behind the scenes, preparing something beautiful from what looks like chaos. Strengthen my heart to remain fully committed to You, knowing that You see and care about every detail of my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Day 4: The Power of Banking Praise

Based on the Message: "The Crazy and the Chaos Before the Blessings" by Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

"Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws." - Psalm 119:164

Devotional: David had a secret weapon that sustained him through his darkest moments, he knew how to 'bank praise.' This wasn't just singing songs when he felt good; it was a disciplined practice of worshiping God seven times a day simply because God deserved it. David praised God not because he had to, but because he chose to, creating a reservoir of faith that would carry him through future storms.


Banking praise means worshiping God when everything is going well, so that when trials come, you have a foundation of faith to stand on. It's like making deposits in a spiritual savings account. When David faced his crisis at Ziklag, he could draw from years of consistent worship and trust in God's character. His praise wasn't dependent on his circumstances; it was rooted in who God is.


This practice transforms us from being self-centered to Christ-centered. When we regularly acknowledge God's goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty, our perspective shifts. Problems that once seemed overwhelming become opportunities to see God work. Challenges that once caused panic become chances to experience God's power.


David was chosen not primarily because he was a skilled warrior, but because he was a worshiper who loved God. His heart of worship is what set him apart and what ultimately led to his recovery and restoration. When we learn to worship consistently, we position ourselves to receive God's best, regardless of our circumstances.

Quote: "David knew how to build bank praise. When you bank praise, you praise God because you don't have to." - Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

Question: How can you begin 'banking praise' in your daily routine, and what would consistent worship look like in your current season of life?


Prayer: God, I want to learn to bank praise like David did. Help me to worship You not just when I feel like it, but as a daily discipline. Teach me to praise You seven times a day, not because I have to, but because You deserve it. Transform my heart from being self-centered to Christ-centered through the power of consistent worship. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Day 5: From Warrior to Worshiper

Based on the Message: "The Crazy and the Chaos Before the Blessings" by Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." - 2 Chronicles 16:9

Devotional: David's greatest victory didn't come through his sword but through his surrender. When he finally sought God's direction about pursuing his enemies, the transformation was complete; he had moved from warrior mentality to worship mentality. This shift changed everything. God promised complete recovery, and David experienced total restoration of everything that had been stolen.


There's a profound difference between fighting in the natural realm as a warrior and fighting in the spiritual realm as a worshiper. Warriors depend on their own strength, strategy, and weapons. Worshipers depend on God's power, His timing, and His methods. Warriors fight for themselves; worshipers fight on behalf of God and His purposes. The reason David recovered wasn't because he was skilled in battle, it was because he knew how to worship.


When we learn to worship in the midst of our battles, we invite God's supernatural intervention. Worship shifts the battle from the earthly realm to the heavenly realm, where God fights for us and through us. Worshipers will always survive because they're connected to the source of all life and power.


Even when you feel like you can't do anything else, you can always worship. And in that place of worship, God meets you with His presence, His power, and His promises. Your breakthrough is not dependent on your ability to fight, but on your willingness to worship and trust God to fight for you.


Quote: "The reason David recovered was not because he was a warrior. David recovered because he knew how to worship." - Bishop Derek L. Calhoun

Question: What battles in your life do you need to stop fighting as a warrior and start approaching as a worshiper, trusting God to fight for you?


Prayer: Lord, help me transition from warrior mentality to worship mentality. Instead of trying to fight my battles in my own strength, teach me to worship You and trust You to fight for me. Show me how to war in the spiritual realm through praise and surrender. Make my heart fully committed to You so that You can strengthen me and bring complete recovery to every area of my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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