But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
The Amalekites attacked the camp of David and his men at Ziklag in the Negeb. They burned it with fire and carried off the wives and children of the men, including David’s wives. The men were so upset with David’s leadership that they began talking about stoning him. Our verse for today tells us how David responded to this talk.
David had been anointed by the prophet Samuel as the next king of Israel. The men who followed David believed they were following the next king and that they would benefit when he ascended the throne. What happened at Ziklag, however, seemed to totally undermine that belief. No doubt David himself must have, at least for a moment, questioned everything he believed about his calling.
Just like David, those called by God to lead will encounter opposition. It may not be a Ziklag-level of opposition, but opposition nonetheless. It’s the kind of opposition that is designed to force one to question the call. It’s the kind of opposition that undermines confidence in what the Lord has promised. How one responds to the challenge is crucial.
Further, just like David, there may not be anyone around that is willing to encourage us to press on, to encourage us to cling to the call. We can’t always rely on others to be there for us when trouble comes along. Sometimes, you just have to do what David did.
What did David do? He “strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” What does that mean? It means that David refused to give up. He refused to give up on his call. Instead of succumbing to the temptation to quit, he chose to believe that the Lord would come through. He chose to continue to believe that the Lord was with him and that He would help him. David strengthened himself by choosing to have faith in the Lord. Then David inquired of the Lord and was successful in rescuing their captured loved ones and all the stolen property from the enemy.
It was not David’s strength that won the day, but the faith he had in a strong God who went before him.
When trials wear you down, strengthen yourself in the Lord. Make the decision to have faith in Him who is stronger than any enemy.
By John Huisman
