Psalm 4:1 – “You have enlarged me when I was in distress.” (KJV)
Distress is never comfortable, but it is often necessary. It is the furnace where God refines gold, the pressure that shapes diamonds, and the breaking that births new beginnings. Many of us meet our true selves not in moments of ease, but in seasons of emptiness; when the noise of our plans fades and the only voice left is God’s.
When David penned Psalm 4, he was not sitting on a throne. He was running for his life rejected, hunted, and misunderstood. Yet he said, “You have enlarged me when I was in distress.” In other words, “Lord, it was not in comfort that I grew, but in crisis.”
David’s journey was marked by stretching. Before he ever wore the crown, he was hiding in caves, learning to lead men who were “in debt, distressed, and discontented” (1 Samuel 22:2). His leadership wasn’t forged in palaces but in pain. God used distress to enlarge David to build his capacity for dominion. He learned faith under fire, courage under pressure, and obedience when nothing made sense.
And this, too, is my story.
I once thought success was measured by titles, salaries, and corner offices. I had a promising career, a vision of “making it” in the corporate world. But deep inside, I felt uneasy a holy discontent I couldn’t shake. I had always loved writing my teachers saw it, my friends saw it, but I didn’t honor it as a God-given gift. I thought anyone could write.
It wasn’t until I lost everything my job, my sense of certainty, my familiar identity that I discovered the treasure hidden in my own hands. Out of the ashes of despair, my purpose was born. Writing became my refuge, my ministry, and eventually, my mission. I started my blog Nurture Your Mind, Body, and Spirit in the midst of my brokenness, searching for balance as a woman, mother, wife, and believer trying to make sense of her “why.”
I took writing courses, faced rejection, got poor reviews, and doubted myself many times but I kept showing up. And with every setback, I was being enlarged. Obedience to honor God through my gift unlocked opportunities I could never have manufactured on my own.
I learned a vital truth: until you use what you have, what you desire will remain out of reach.
Jesus illustrated this principle in the Parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30 The servant who hid his gift lost it, but the one who used his little received more. Growth doesn’t come from wishing it comes from working with what’s already in your hands.
Modern studies in psychology echo this. Angela Duckworth, in her research on grit, defines it as “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.” She notes that those who endure hardship with purpose often outperform the naturally talented. Distress, therefore, isn’t a disqualifier it’s a developer.
Consider Oprah Winfrey’s story. Before she became a global icon, she faced abuse, poverty, and rejection. Yet it was through her pain that her empathy, communication skills, and authenticity were shaped. Today, her influence reaches millions, but her roots were watered in tears.
Similarly, Joseph’s dreams only made sense after the pit, the prison, and the betrayal (Genesis 37–50). Each trial was a classroom preparing him for rulership. God doesn’t waste pain; He uses it to train kings.
Embrace the Process
If you’re in distress, don’t despise it. God may be enlarging you stretching your capacity to handle what He has called you to steward. Growth requires tension. Expansion demands pressure.
Romans 5:3–4 reminds us:
“We glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
So, if you’re being stretched, don’t fight it. Let it form you.
If you’re being emptied, don’t despair. God is making room for more.
If you feel lost, remember destiny often hides in detours.
Your current distress might just be the womb of your dominion.