When We Think We Are Having a Bad Day

Psalm 31:19-24

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁹ Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
    which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
    ^(A)in the sight of the children of mankind!
²⁰ In ^(B)the cover of your presence you hide them
    from the plots of men;
you ^(C)store them in your shelter
    from the strife of tongues.

²¹ Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously ^(D)shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was in ^(E)a besieged city.
²² I had said in my ^(F)alarm,^[a]
    “I am ^(G)cut off from ^(H)your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
    when I cried to you for help.

²³ Love the Lord, all you his ^(I)saints!
    The Lord preserves the faithful
    but abundantly ^(J)repays the one who acts in pride.
^24 (K)Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2031:19%20-%2024&version=ESV

1 Samuel 30:4-6

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴ Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. ⁵ David's ^(A)two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ⁶ And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke ^(B)of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul,^[a] each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Samuel%2030:4%20-%206&version=ESV

David, a chosen man of God, surely he never had any problems?  Why is it that we think that if we are God’s chosen people then trouble should not ever come our way?  David was certainly chosen by God but he encountered many hardships along the way.  You would have thought that a loyal man like David would have been honored by the king rather than hunted by the king but we find throughout I Samuel that the king was jealous of David and plotted to have him killed.

In I Samuel 30 we find David in distress over the city, in which they dwelt, had been invaded and all the women and children were captured.  Not only David but his entire supporters were in distress and those who David had trusted now plotted to kill him.  Sometimes we think we are having a bad day when we break a fingernail!  At that point in David’s life I am sure he was wondering what he had done to deserve all of this.  The king wanted to kill him so he left his homeland to remain safe and now the place he chose to be safe had somehow been destroyed.  What was God doing?  David didn’t know but he recognized that God was in control and the only One to turn to was God.  God answered him and showed him what to do.

I have found myself in distress.  Those who I thought  appreciated me, those who I tried so hard to please, have turned on me.  Be it jealousy, stupidity, or ignorance, it doesn’t matter, when others turn their backs on you, you feel pain.  When you think God has turned His back on you, you feel agony.  The silver lining is that when you think God is no longer listening, He is.  When you think He has turned His back on you, He is actually seeing all those tears that you are crying.  We need to be like David and draw our strength from Him.  He is the maker of all things.  He has a plan and it is up to us to wait upon Him.

As you seek Him, remember, He is watching over you and He has a plan.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila