The story of David at Ziklag is quite remarkable - 1Sam. 30:1, 6
Now it happened, when
David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had
invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire,
Now David was greatly
distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the
people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself
in the Lord his God.
David and his men came upon a horrific scene – all of their family members were taken captive and their city was burned to the ground. The grief of David and his men was so great that they exhausted themselves with weeping. That is 600 warrior-men weeping!
So, David not only had to deal with his own grief, but he
had to stand for the families that were now decimated by loss. There was no one
to encourage David – he had to encourage and strengthen himself by praising the Lord. What a fabulous verse – beginning
with the word, but…
Despite the trauma surrounding him – David was able to turn
to the Lord. David turned from his suffering and watched as the Lord brought an unexpected angle to the Ziklag story. David confronted his
discouragement and despair with a holy but! The Lord and David are
telling us that in the face of extreme suffering, there is a “but God”
opportunity that we can turn to.
(Here is a posting on this concept...but I...no matter what is happening all around me...but I will do this...)
David encouraged himself with songs of praise.
(Here is a posting on this concept...but I...no matter what is happening all around me...but I will do this...)
David encouraged himself with songs of praise.
Praise is the language of faith – there is no room for
grumbling when your mouth is full of praise.
David magnified
the Lord: changed perspective. We don’t change the reality when we magnify something
– just our perspective. Sometimes we must stop looking at our trouble and
magnifying the trouble. David’s situation didn’t change – his focus changed as
he turned to the Lord.
David wrote many psalms during this period of his life –
when he was suffering greatly. Psalm 56 is one of the psalms David wrote when he was under attack by the Philistines, and could be one of the songs of
praise that David used to encourage himself (Message Bible):
1 Take my side, God - I'm getting kicked around, stomped on every day.
2 Not a day goes by but somebody beats me up; They make it their duty to
beat me up.
3 When I get really afraid I come to you in trust.
4 I'm proud to praise God; fearless now, I trust in God. What can mere
mortals do?
5 They don't let up - they smear my reputation and huddle to plot my
collapse.
6 They gang up, sneak together through the alleys To take me by surprise,
wait their chance to get me.
7 Pay them back in evil! Get angry, God! Down with these people!
8 You've kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book.
9 If my enemies run away, turn tail when I yell at them, Then I'll know
that God is on my side.
10 I'm proud to praise God, proud to praise God.
11 Fearless now, I trust in God; what can mere mortals do to me?
12 God, you did everything you promised, and I'm thanking you with all my
heart.
13 You pulled me from the brink of death, my feet from the cliff-edge of
doom. Now I stroll at leisure with God in the sunlit fields of life.
…and psalm 16:5-11
5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain
my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good
inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs
me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I
shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will
rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy
One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of
joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
The last verse of our Psalm 16:11 is one more verse that gives
us 3 layers of secrets for discouragement:
• David sought God’s guidance – show me the path of life
• David sought God’s joyous presence – In Your presence is fullness of joy
• David sought God’s hand and the treasures He holds – At Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore.
In times of trouble, we have a choice. If we want to be
overcomes in God’s kingdom, we must keep our eyes on the Lord. There is no suffering in the heavens or the earth
that is bigger than the hand of God and His power to overcome. There is also no situation that lies outside of the presence of God and His ability to lift our hearts.
The devil wants to steal your joy – your strength The joy of the Lord is your strength. Neh. 8:10
As leaders, we don’t have the luxury of doubt and despair –
we need to say to every attack, “But God is my strength!”
Run into the presence of God today - He is your strength, He will show you the way to go, He has overflowing treasures even in the midst of your discouraging circumstances.
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