When we can't understand disappointments - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 29:8,

"'But what have I done?' asked David. 'What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can't I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?'"

David found himself caught up in the concerns of others. David had fled to the Philistines to avoid capture by King Saul. Achish was the ruler of Gath, where David had fled. Now that the Philistines were forming up to fight the Israelites, David was expecting to join the Philistines in the battle. However, David was not allowed and voiced his complaint to Achish in verse 8.

David's complaint here sounds very similar to me as does his complaint to Jonathan in 20:1, "What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to kill me?"

David found himself in the midst of disappointments in life, turmoil, agitation and commotion. David plays a key role in the Lord's plan of redemption that will unfold over the years. For this simple reason, both his use by God and the threat he posed to Satan and his ilk, David found himself embroiled in things that probably often escaped his understanding, as documented in his two complaints quoted above.

I am reminded that when the Lord's agenda of redemption is afoot, and the forces of hell feel the threat, believers will at times find themselves caught up in things bigger than themselves and perhaps embroiled in things they struggle to comprehend.

It is to our great comfort and solace that we can take our troubles to the Lord during those times, like David, when we struggle to understand the disappointments we find ourselves in. Fleeing to the Lord as our refuge is a major theme in the book of Psalms, of which David wrote a substantial part.

Here is a thought-provoking question... how often do we find ourselves caught in a disappointment we may not understand, and yet may reflect we are engaged in God's agenda of redemption? Does that ever happen?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com