1 Samuel 30:1-6 (New International Version)
1 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it,
2 and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.
3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.
4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.
5 David's two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
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When Things Goes Wrong
We all know about David, the second king of Israel, a man that wrote most of the Psalms. And if you read David’s history, you will see how he managed all the situations in his life, specially in tough time.
In one occasion, David was a fugitive in his own Country, running away from King Saul that wants to kill him because of envy. David fled to another Country, actually an Israel’s enemy which by chance was in war against Israel. – David said to King Achish the Philistine’s King that he would go with him and fight Israel. The King agreed, but as they approach the battle field, the commanders of the Philistines’ Army didn’t agreed with the idea, so King Achish sent David and his men back home.
Everything looked bleak to David and his men when they arrived at Ziclag their City, as you read on the text above. The Amalekites (cruel people that lived as nomads at David’s time) had attacked the city and taken their wives and children captive. The men were so discouraged that they wept until they had no more energy. And David, their leader, was “greatly distressed” because the people (angry men now) were contemplating stoning him (v.6).
But the story takes a great turn even in the midst of this great lost, when “David strengthened himself in the LORD his God” (1 Sam. 30:6). Some other Bible’s translations use the word encouraged or refreshed.
The text doesn’t say exactly how David did this. But it makes me wonder, “In what ways we can strengthen, encourage, or refresh ourselves in the Lord when we’re feeling discouraged? When we’re heartbroken because of what someone did to us? Or maybe when we lose something very important, such as a good job, or a deal in a car, or our house is in foreclosure? Or maybe we lost a member in the family to a battle with some disease?" - And the list goes one and on…
Let’s see two things we can do in any of this situation, as David did:
FIRST => we can remember what God has done.
We can go back in our lives and list the ways our Great Lord has cared for us in the past, how he had protected us, and how He had provided for us or answered our prayers in many situations. Let’s not forgot all His goodness and care for us along the way of our journey in life.
SECOND => we can remember what God has promised.
The Lord had promised “Be strong and of good courage; . . . for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9) – When we believe in this truth, every fear goes away, because we start feeling the presence of our lovely God. In another text, the Bible says: God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5). What a great God we serve!
In the end, David’s army rescued their families, defeated the Amalekites and recovered everything they had taken away. So, if someone had taken away anything from you, maybe is you job, your house, your car, etc. etc. like David, let’s learn to strengthen ourselves in the LORD, and then let’s leave the rest with Him. Don’t try to fix anything with your hands or with your “mouth”; if you do open your mouth, it’s get be just to praise the Lord in prayer, not to curse or to speak about anything or anybody.
Remember: Our greatest strength is often shown in our ability to stand still and trust God.
If you can, and if you are going through any hardship time, please memorize and recite this verse out loud as much as you can:
“6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
But the story takes a great turn even in the midst of this great lost, when “David strengthened himself in the LORD his God” (1 Sam. 30:6). Some other Bible’s translations use the word encouraged or refreshed.
The text doesn’t say exactly how David did this. But it makes me wonder, “In what ways we can strengthen, encourage, or refresh ourselves in the Lord when we’re feeling discouraged? When we’re heartbroken because of what someone did to us? Or maybe when we lose something very important, such as a good job, or a deal in a car, or our house is in foreclosure? Or maybe we lost a member in the family to a battle with some disease?" - And the list goes one and on…
Let’s see two things we can do in any of this situation, as David did:
FIRST => we can remember what God has done.
We can go back in our lives and list the ways our Great Lord has cared for us in the past, how he had protected us, and how He had provided for us or answered our prayers in many situations. Let’s not forgot all His goodness and care for us along the way of our journey in life.
SECOND => we can remember what God has promised.
The Lord had promised “Be strong and of good courage; . . . for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9) – When we believe in this truth, every fear goes away, because we start feeling the presence of our lovely God. In another text, the Bible says: God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5). What a great God we serve!
In the end, David’s army rescued their families, defeated the Amalekites and recovered everything they had taken away. So, if someone had taken away anything from you, maybe is you job, your house, your car, etc. etc. like David, let’s learn to strengthen ourselves in the LORD, and then let’s leave the rest with Him. Don’t try to fix anything with your hands or with your “mouth”; if you do open your mouth, it’s get be just to praise the Lord in prayer, not to curse or to speak about anything or anybody.
Remember: Our greatest strength is often shown in our ability to stand still and trust God.
If you can, and if you are going through any hardship time, please memorize and recite this verse out loud as much as you can:
“6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
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