Distress and the Lord’s Promises

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6 KJV)

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6 NKJV)

If Anything Can Go Wrong. . .

David had been anointed king by Samuel in 1st Samuel 16.  But Saul also was anointed king by Samuel earlier.  David fought Saul’s battles and he would not touch Saul because Saul was God’s anointed.  It seems to me that David had taken the attitude that if the Lord had anointed him king, then the Lord would have to bring it about, and David seemed determined to not take things into his own hands.  

Saul, however, realized that David was going to be the next king and he resisted the will of God.  He had made several mistakes and had disobeyed God which was why the office of king was being removed from him and his family.  The biggest mistake was not destroying Amalek as God had commanded in 1st Samuel 15.  He thought God would be pleased with a sacrifice from that which was supposed to be destroyed.  But God told him by Samuel:

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry, Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23 NKJV)

David Believed the Promises of God

When David was not available to defend Ziklag, the Amalekites destroyed the city and took all the women and children and animals as plunder.  But by God’s grace they kept all of the plunder alive.  When David and his men returned to Ziklag, the city had been destroyed and David’s own men wanted to stone him.  But the KJV says that David ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord.  What does that mean?  Does it mean that he STRENGTHENED himself in the Lord as the NKJV says?  Maybe, but I think encouraged is the better translation. I think he reminded himself of God’s promise that he would one day be king and he wasn’t king yet.  I think he found refuge in the promises of God.  His own people could not destroy him if he was to be king one day.

Some of our Promises If we are Truly Saved

We too have been given precious promises that we need to remember in times of trial:

The Lord has promised eternal life to those who believe in Him (or trust Him).  

When finances are a problem, the Lord has promised believers that He will never leave them nor forsake them.  See Hebrews 13:5.  

When we feel unloved and forsaken, the Lord has said through Paul, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39 NKJV).”  

When we are anxious about things that are happening in the world, the Lord has said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3 NKJV)

Let’s encourage ourselves in the Lord today!

Bruce Collins

Meditation for the week of April 20, 2025

If you would like further conversation about the issues in these meditations, contact me at collinsbd@yahoo.com and I will try to accommodate you with a virtual Bible Study.