Which Way When Trouble Comes?

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. 
1 Samuel 30:6

 It has been told of Martin Luther the great reformer that once he was plagued with depression. His family and friends tried their level best to bring him out of the situation. But the appeals of the family and friends went in vain. Finally, his wife, Katie put on the black garments of a widow and mourning. When Martin Luther saw this he asked her who had died. She replied that God in heaven must have died, judging from his behavior. Luther broke out in laughter and realized the truth.

 Depression, trouble or near death situation is something we all face in our life. Sometimes we are at fault and sometimes we aren’t. But whatever may be the cause we have two ways to move forward when we are in the grip of trouble.

 1 Samuel 30.1-5 we see that David had lost everything. His city was burnt. His wives, sons and daughters were taken as captives. Even his comrades had lost everything. He was standing before a pile of ruins. In worldly possessions he had lost everything and on top of it he was forsaken by his followers to the extent that they were ready to stone him for bringing them to such a condition as this.

 David was facing this situation because he had been acting without consulting God. Being a shepherd waiting upon the Lord for direction was a natural thing for David. But here David went without consulting God and had to tread a bad road. Which bad road did David take?

 When David realized that Saul was after him he feared that he will die in the hands of Saul. David began to lose his faith in God. Nicky Gumbel in his book The Jesus Lifestyle says, “He who does not comfortably trust God will soon seek after comfort somewhere else.” David did that.

 Without asking divine direction David went to the court of the Philistine chieftain, Achish. But soon David realized his stupidity to lean on his own understanding. He understood how foolish it was of him to forget the God who guided him. He decides to turn back to the same road which was his strength and shield when he faced the paws of the lion, when he faced the nine foot giant Goliath.

 David was at an all time low. With no one to comfort and no one to take his side. His family was not with him and his companions whom David had helped a lot were now wanting to stone him to death. Sometimes we are brought to the near death situation to realize our dependence should only be on God.  If we feel we have been hit at the worst it’s a warning for us to make a U-turn.

 David realized and made a detour. From trusting in his own wisdom and strength David now relied on God’s strength. I am sure David might have had a panoramic view of God’s deliverance in the past. He saw himself killing the lion and the bear. He saw himself going out to meet the giant Goliath, with nothing but a sling and a stone and coming back with the monster’s head in his hand. He saw himself in the courts of Saul when the mad king sought to pin him to the wall with a javelin and he barely escaped. He saw himself let down by the kindness of Michal from the window, when her father sought to slay him in his bed. He saw himself in the cave of Engedi and upon the tracks of the wild goats, pursued by his remorseless adversary, but always strangely guarded from his cruel hands. All these things came to David in a flash and he realized if God could have done these things for him in the past, the present situation is also not too big for God. David is confessing that as in the past my strength lies in the Lord.

 Dear Friends in times of trouble may we be wise enough to choose the right way. If you find yourself in the lowest of time have a look at the past when God guided you miraculously. If God did in the past, the present circumstance too is not big for the Lord.

 Dear Lord may we too like David be strengthened in You and You alone.