Staying Faithful When Life Gets Stressful.
2 Samuel 15-16, 1 Corinthians 10
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV
Life can get messy. There are times when things don’t go quite like we expected them to go. Sometimes this is a result of living in a fallen world. Other times, we may be experiencing the consequences of our own sin. But regardless of the cause of our particular circumstances, the real test will be whether we remain faithful to God in the midst of them. David’s life seems to have been a series of ups and downs, successes and failures. While he was a man after God’s own heart, that does not mean his life was free from difficulties or moments of despair. Even as God’s chosen and anointed king, David had to face his fair share of trying times. He had to bear the news of his son Amnon’s rape of his half-sister, Tamar. Then he had to learn of Amnon’s death at the hand of his brother, Absalom. And David knew that these events were in fulfillment of the prophet Nathan’s words, spoken in response to David’s sin regarding Bathsheba. “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house’” (2 Samuel 12:10-11 ESV). Absalom would end up running away and living in exile. And even when he finally allowed by David to return, Absalom would plot a conspiracy against his father’s throne that would end with David abandoning the city of Jerusalem and escaping to the wilderness once again.
What does this passage reveal about God?
In the midst of this soap-opera-like story, David exhibits an unlikely reliance upon God’s sovereignty. He was sad. He was likely disappointed in the outcome of his life, but he continued to place his life in the hands of God. “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him” (2 Samuel 15:25-26 ESV). David did not fully understand his circumstances. He didn’t necessarily like them either. But he did his best to trust God with them. Even when David was on his way out of the city and found himself subjected to the curses and rants of a disgruntled relative of Saul, he refused to let his men rebuke his assailant. Instead, he said, “ It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me,and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today” (2 Samuel 16:12 ESV). While his life appeared to be falling apart all around him, David did not abandon his trust in God. He believed in the sovereignty of his God and would place his life in His hands. David knew that nothing happened by luck or happenstance. His God was in control.
What does this passage reveal about man?
It is amazing to think that one family could be so dysfunctional. Lust, rape, murder, conspiracy, and rebellion – all in one family. But not just any family – the family of the king of Israel, the mighty David, son of Jesse and the man hand-picked by God to lead His people. The depth of the sin described in these chapters is staggering, but it should not be surprising. The sin nature of man is active at all times, even in godly families. And the consequences of our own sinful actions will always catch up with us eventually. While David had been forgiven for his sin with Bathsheba, he still had to face the ramifications of his poor choices and disobedience against God. There are two truths when it comes to life: First, that sin is a real and ever-present reality. But the second is even more important. God is always fully aware of our circumstances and always there. We tend to be surprised by the first and doubtful of the second. But David knew that the only real constant in his life was his God. He was familiar with the instability of life and the constant possibility for sin to rear its ugly head. But he also knew that God could be trusted even when everything seemed to be falling apart all around him.
How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?
Paul reminds us, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV). In this passage, Paul was discussing the Israelites and their journey out of slavery in Egypt. While all of them had experienced the same miraculous deliverance by God and enjoyed the same provision of their needs, they didn’t all remain faithful. Some turned away from God and put their trust in idols, and as a result, they never made it into the Promised Land. And Paul tells us that these things happened to them as an example for us. They gave in to their physical appetites. They put God to the test. They grumbled against God because they didn’t like their circumstances. So Paul warns us to watch out so that we don’t repeat their mistake. We must remember that God is faithful. There is no circumstance in life that He is not aware of and that He has not provided for us a way of escape. We don’t have to rebel. We don’t have to give in to our physical appetites or natural, sinful desires. We don’t have to end up putting God to the test. We can trust. We can remain faithful. We can place our hope in Him and wait to see what He is going to do to bring about a resolution. As Paul writes in that often quoted and yet seldom believed verse, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 ESV). David was going to leave his life in the hands of his God. We would be wise to do the same thing.
Father, life is messy and sometimes a bit confusing. But help me to keep my eyes focused on You, not my circumstances. You are the one constant in life. You never change. You never leave. You never run out of strength, power or love for me. May I seek You and see You in all that happens to me and around me. Amen
Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org