Difficult Times

In I Samuel 18:30 the Holy Spirit gives us something very important to consider: "Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they were out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed" (underline added) (NKJ).  David was appreciated and respected. His name became very dear and precious to others.

THEN 

We continue reading on into the next chapter, I Samuel 19:1. "Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David . . ." (underline added) (NKJ).  

                                                         OOPS!

Just as things were going great for David, a true-to-life situation arises. The devil, personified in Saul, had the killing of David on his mind. [Of course we know that Saul didn't physically kill David's body, but he did kill David's good name as best he could, which is what we do when we verbally butcher another persons good name.]

 

Just when David's wise behavior (I Samuel 18:30) was a precious testimony to others, the circumstances shifted (I Samuel 19:1). It is a great lesson for all of us! Anytime God blesses us, we need to be prepared to accept the afflictions which God brings into our lives to test us. [Note that I am saying, "God brings. . . " and the reason is because God's word says "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things." (Romans 11:36 NAS). [See Chapter 14 of my book Finding Hope, for more discussion of this matter.}

When God gives us reason to rejoice we should not think He is obliged to keep it going, even though that's exactly what we think and expect. If God did not move us from one trial to the other, we would relax in our dullness and live as if we don't need God, would we not ????

The reality is that no matter how painful our testings are, we need to be tried continually, else we think this world is our heaven.

God subjects us to a thousand sorts of irritations and distresses. And He does this to transform us into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be transformed to His glory and not to the glory of ourselves.