In the Midst of Trials

Just prior to King Saul’s death by the Philistines, David returned to his camp in Ziklag, only to find that the Amalekites had destroyed the camp and carried off all the women and children. Despite the fact that David’s family was among the captives, the men wanted to stone him to death.

No one anticipated such an action by their enemy. They were caught off guard; and in their despair and grief, they needed someone to blame. That someone was David: the man they had pledged their loyalty to in opposition to Saul, the king.

Those who chose to join with David were rebels to the throne. Death was the punishment for treason. Most of their time was spent moving from place to place, trying to keep a few steps ahead of the ever persistent Saul. They had no true place to call home; and until David sat upon the throne as God had promised, they had no real country to pledge themselves to.

So when their families were taken, the men’s loss was understandably great. They had nothing left. They put the blame squarely on David who they believed was supposed to protect them all.

David’s life was on the line. He was also grieving the loss of his family, and he felt burdened by the responsibility of the loss of hundreds of wives and children. Under such pressure, a strong man would certainly be fearful.

What would you do under the heaviness of life’s unexpected circumstances? Would you collapse under the weight of panic? Would you run and hide? Would you try to remove the liability of the situation by pinning it on others?

I find comfort in what the Bible says David did in 1 Samuel 30:6b: “But David found strength in the LORD his God.” He did not panic. He did not flee. He did not shirk the responsibility of leadership. He sought the Lord and found strength. In that strength, he found wisdom; and that was to ask the Lord if he should pursue the captors and would he be victorious. God told him to go and that everything would be returned.

In our hardest moments of life, when we feel the whole world has come up against us to the point of losing everything, we need to turn to Him who is in control and find our strength. Trusting God in our toughest trials gives us His peace so we can make the right decisions.

David followed God’s directions and chased after the Amalekites. All of the families and their possessions were returned unharmed. We can’t foretell the outcome of our circumstances, but we can seek the Lord, stand strong in Him, and find comfort in the situations we are called to pursue.