“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)
David and his men had left their families at Ziklag to be enlisted in a battle between the Philestines and the Israelites. Upon their return, they realised that the Amalekites had attacked Ziklag, burned it and taken all their wives and children captive. This was a big blow to the team.
Instead of finding a collective solution to the problem at hand, the people turned against David and started talking about stoning him. He was their leader and they somehow thought he was to blame for the misfortune.
How unreasonable could they be? Did they not consider that the disaster affected them all including David’s family? Such is life. Sometimes, you only know how people love you when you’re in trouble.
But David did something that we can all learn from. When he was greatly distressed, he didn’t give up. Neither was he bitter towards the people. Instead, he encouraged himself in the Lord. If you follow the story, David then consulted the Lord as to the next step to take. By following God’s direction, he was able to recover all that they lost.
When you get to a point where you feel all left alone with no one to comfort you except yourself, remember to encourage yourself in the Lord. Spend time in God’s presence, and He will strengthen and guide you out of your predicament.
Remain inspired!
https://joelkwesibaidoo.blogspot.com/2023/02/encourage-yourself.html
