Four lessons about times when our “work for God doesn’t go according to plan”
In Parts 1-3 of David’s story from 1 Samuel 27-30 we considered the first three lessons his example illustrates about times when our “work for God doesn’t go according to plan.”
We noted that in such times discouragement is normal. We also saw how discouragement makes us vulnerable to Satan’s temptation and yet, God’s work goes forward even when we are paralyzed by discouragement and unbelief.
God is not taken by surprise. His work goes forward, not because of us, but in spite of us.
Lesson 4 – God knows how to restore a discouraged Christian worker and make him or her useful again!
Finally, David’s experience illustrates what is probably the most important of these four lessons – God knows how to restore a discouraged Christian worker and make him or her useful again.
In David’s case, this involved three specific interventions on God’s part.
a) God kept David from an even greater evil
David’s story continues in 1 Samuel 28. David’s deception has led him into a trap. He is asked to fight against God’s people. A lot more is at stake here than is immediately apparent. David is stuck.
If he refuses to fight against his own people, he is exposed as a traitor. If he enters the battle on the side of the Philistines, he has disqualified himself as future King of Israel. His whole future ministry as king is at stake. And there is no easy way out of the trap.
God, mercifully, rescues David from this situation. From start to finish, this rescue is God’s doing. The story is recorded in 1 Samuel 29:1-10.
God can do the same with his servants today. At this point, the story begins to encourage us. The God of hope can still rescue his servants from difficult situations caused by their unbelief and sin.
b) God woke David up from his spiritual paralysis
Just like an unexpected splash of cold water in the face wakes up a drowsy person, God wakes up David from his spiritual paralysis. He does this by sending an unexpected crisis into his life. This crisis is recorded in 1 Samuel 30:1-6.
The 90 km walk back to Ziklag, after being unexpectedly rescued by God from fighting the Israelites, takes David and his men three days (vs.. 1). When they arrive home, they find their city looted and burned and their wives, children and livestock gone.
The shock is devastating. They cry till “they had no strength left to weep” (vs.. 4). Then the men in their “great distress” and “bitterness’ turn on David and “talk of stoning him” (vs. 6).
This ends up being a gift from God, for the shock wakes David up from his spiritual stupor. He turns back to God. “David found strength in the Lord his God” (vs. 6).
Suddenly God re-enters the story. David once again starts prays and seeking help from God (vs. 7-8).
c) God turned things around and put David on the throne
Amazingly, God puts the pieces together and in the space of weeks, David not only rescues the captured women and children, but ends up on the throne in Hebron! The training period is over – God’s time for David had finally come.
Conclusion
May David’s example turn our focus to the God who gives endurance and encouragement (Romans 15:5). May the God of hope, fill us “with all joy and peace as we trust in him” (Romans 15:13). May we too “overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
