Severe Testing on the Brink of Blessing (129 hits)
WHO encouraged David to continue on? David encouraged David! It’s great to be encouraged by others when we face adversity, but at times we will have to encourage ourselves like David did. Please notice that he didn’t just “encourage himself,” he “encouraged himself in the LORD his God.”
Bear in mind that David, at this point, had already been anointed to be the next king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:1-13). He had been fleeing from Saul, who wanted to kill him! His lifestyle had been anything but ideal for the last 6 or 7 years, hiding in the desert and caves from the jealous Saul. During this time, he spared Saul’s life twice (chapters 24 and 26). After showing mercy repeatedly to the very one who wanted him dead, he now faced this great test of multiple disappointments as cited in this chapter. This was the LAST test for David before he took the office as king. (His last test was the most severe.) He was on the brink of blessings, even though he didn’t know it! David was God’s chosen and ANOINTED to lead all of Israel, yet he faced great disappointments, heartaches and problems, over an extended time. Earlier in his life, his faith was great enough to slay that mighty Philistine, Goliath, but now deliverance was nowhere in sight! As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we too are all ANOINTED (1 Jn. 2:27), even though “we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). The question is: Will we encourage ourselves in the Lord for our sakes and the sake of others we love the most, as David did? It’s our choice, as it was his!
