1 Samuel 30:6: “David was in a difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in YHWH his God.”
This is powerful. The pressure on David here is through the roof. His 600 men have just had their wives and children kidnapped. I can imagine the rage I’d have with my leader if my wife and 4 kids were kidnapped because he took me on a mission trip with him. What would David do? He could run. He could try the authoritarian route and bully his men. Or he could write a psalm and sing to God. He could pray to God and meditate on God’s Word to him. In this, in YHWH his God, he found strength. And he found strength before the trial and tension were resolved. This is, for me, by far the sweetest times of walking with YHWH my God. From here David inquires of God, follows God’s lead to pursue the kidnappers, kills them all, and gets back every wife and child kidnapped with more plunder (vv. 18-20).
It is a joy to see God resolve our trials for his glory and our growth in holiness. We can know God will work it together for our good and holiness because he gave us his Son Jesus who died for us. It is sweet to trust and find strength in him in the middle of the trial before you know how it will be resolved. You get to commune with God and watch him come through again and again and again.
Some possible slogans that get at the idea:
- Trust in trial, not only after trial
- Faith before finish
- Rejoice before resolution
- Hope before hindsight
- Confidence before conclusion
- Living belief before looking back
- Faith forward not belief backward/backtracking
PJ's personal blog. For articles see gospelize.me 