Life's journey has hazardous turns. Sometimes, we are confronted with ferocious beasts that seek to consume the very life in us. It could be a medical report spelling your death, or debts that are strangling your peace. It may be unrest in a relationship, or a loss you may have to endure. In the midst of all these storms, you have to remain calm and trust God.
David and his men faced one of life's awful moments when they came back to Ziklag to find that the Amalekites had taken captive all their women and children, and burnt down their place of abode. Being human, David and his men were saddened by this predicament and wept. 1 Samuel 30:4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. Sometimes, life's challenges may cause us to weep, which is okay. To be sad is part of our human make up. We may be saddened by events of our life, however what we do afterwards is what matters. David's men after crying, tried to play the blame game - And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30:6
Finger pointing for the cause of our woes would not solve or change our situation. Sometimes, as Christians we fight the wrong people for our problems and woes. David was not the cause of the trouble they were in. He was infact a victim as well of what the Amalekites had done. However, the anger that burned in the others, triggered a wrong reaction - they intended to stone him. When life's stormy winds blow, some people turn to the wrong solution. They turn to unfounded accusations and persecutions, some allow the events to turn them into emotional monsters. Others allow depression to set in , in a worse case, leading to the committing of suicide.
David nevertheless, maintained his calm, and encouraged himself in the Lord. Psalm 28:7 declares The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted him, so I received help. My heart is triumphant; I give thanks to him with my song. David trusted in God, and encouraged himself in spite of the trouble he was in. He went a step further to enquire of the Lord what he ought to do . Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches us : Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
God directed David. Through God's direction, David recovered everything the enemy had stolen from him. If we rely on God to order our steps, we shall recover all that has been stolen from us - everything that the cankerworm or caterpillar has destroyed shall be restored. 1 Samuel 30:8,18-19 And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.
And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.
Stay put in the midst of any storm you are in, go back to the Lord in prayer, seek His Will and counsel, and you shall recover what you lost -
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. Joel 2:25
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