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Bible Question: Why
did David encourage himself in 1 Samuel 30?
Bible Answer: 1
Samuel 30:1-6 is a great example about how to respond to discouragement.
Lets take a close look.
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.
. . the
Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and
had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took
captive the women and all who were in it . . . without killing
anyone, and carried them off and went their way. When David
and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with
fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters
had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were
with him lifted their voices and wept . . . Now David’s
two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess
and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite . . . David
was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning
him, for all the people were embittered, each one because
of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself
in the LORD his God. (NASB) 1 Sam. 30:1-6 |
Trouble
Has Come. The opening verses of 1 Sam. 30 tell
us that the Amalekites had made a raid on Ziklag. When they raided
Ziklag, they burned it and took the women and children captive. When
King David with his army arrived, everyone was grieved over the situation
and wept. After David arrived the people appear to have blamed David
for the tragedy. The passage does not tell us, but maybe they thought
he should have been there earlier. Whatever their reason, they wanted
to stone him.
David's Comfort.
David was really upset. His two wives were among the captives. But we are told
that David strengthened himself in the Lord.
What did David do? Psalm 23 was written by King David. We do not know if the
Psalm was written after this experience or before. But reveals David's heart.
It tells us how he made it through difficult times. At first David was in "distress." That
is common for everyone. But the key through a difficult situation is not escape.
The key is how you go through it. Here is verse six of Psalm 23.
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Even
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (NASB) Ps. 23:4 |
David
trusted God for his safety and security even in the "valley
of the shadow of death." The key to going through difficult
times is trusting God. Verse 17 tells us that God enabled David to
rescue his wives and all the captives.
Conclusion: Sometimes
the "valley of the shadow of death" can appear to be a
terrible financial situation, a divorce, a terminal or discouraging
physical illness. Whatever your "valley of the shadow of death" may
be, God calls us to trust Him. The Good Shepherd WILL lead you along
dark valleys for our own good. But we should not fear because He
is with us all the way. King David "strengthened himself" by
reminding himself that he needed to trust God. It is easy to trust
someone when we know that he/she really loves us. That is why we
can trust Him. He loves us very much.
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To
Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood
. . . (NASB) Rev. 1:5 |
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