In 1 Samuel 10 Saul is anointed by Samuel to be the first king of Israel. After Samuel anoints him, he tells Saul all these things that will happen to him. He does this as a sign to affirm to Saul that he will indeed be king.
Fast forward to 1 Samuel 16 where David was anointed king. David is not given any signs. Samuel anoints him and leaves.
There are a couple differences in these stories. Saul was sent with a servant. Plus when he took so long to return his father was very worried about him and sent some to find him. David was forgotten in the field.
I would like to draw a point from this. When Saul ran into trouble, he always sought out help from an outward source. Yet when David ran into trouble and was greatly distressed it says David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6 KJV)
You see, unlike Saul, David had learned that his help was not in man but as David wrote in Psalm 121:2 KJV My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. David long before he became king had found his identity in God. David killed a lion and a bear while he was alone. Why was he alone? Why was he left out in the field during such a special occasion when Samuel came? There seemed to be some family issues here that we won’t get into now. Nevertheless David seemingly was alone with the sheep a lot. I would say instead of murmuring and complaining about this he used this to draw closer to God. Otherwise God would not have chosen him. With this alone time with God he learns to say Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25 WEB).
David’s identity was in God. This is how he encouraged himself. David wrote most of the Psalms that we read today to encourage ourselves at times.
How do we do this? How can we find our identity in God? Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8 WEB).
Spend time with God. Pray, read the Word of God, attend church. You can find yourself in Christ. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 WEB).
Become a new creation in Christ, find your true identity. After all, how else can we find our identity without the One that created us?
Psalm 62:5-8 WEB 5 My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my honor is with God. The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah.