It was a terrible moment for David, the future king of Israel. When he returned with his men to his home in exile, Ziklag, he was horrified to see the city burned to the ground and all the wives and children of his army captured. These men were mighty warriors, but they wept when they saw their homes burned and their families gone.
In a time like this, people tend to want to find someone to blame and this tragedy was no different. "It must be David's fault," some of his men started saying in their hurt, lashing out at the man they usually loved so much. There was a move afoot to stone David to death as a reaction to their grief and pain (a totally worthless reaction, to say the least - killing David would not bring their families back!).
David walked a different path, one that led away from bitterness and rash, hurtful actions. It says, in 1 Samuel 30:6
"David found strength in the Lord his God."In his grief and hurt he sought God and God lifted up his soul. Instead of just lashing out in bitterness and anger, he gave himself to God and in the power of God he went to find his family. He led the men who had wanted to kill him and inspired them to go after the Amalekites who had captured their families. Everything that had been taken from them - wives, children, livestock, and possessions - was recovered by David and his men.
Instead of feeling sorry for himself, instead of finding someone to blame, instead of getting depressed and angry, he sought God and found strength there. Those who turn to God may find conviction of sin, they may find their lives redirected, they may find themselves in hard times, in deep waters, but they will always find the strength of God to go through the day.
Father, when things are hard, I so often resort to self-pity and anger. May I, like my namesake the king, find strength in you to continue in your work regardless of how difficult the days become.
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