The Life of DavidSample

Day 23: 2 Sam. 15-16 x Shannon + Kim Stokes, Elders at UPPERROOM

So David and his men continued along the road... (2 Samuel 16:13)

What a rough day for King David as his son conspires against him, and Shimei hurls rocks and dirt and curses at him. Challenging circumstances can cause intense emotions like fear, disappointment, or self-pity to rise within us. Facing incredible opposition from Absalom and Shimei, David could have felt sorry for himself; he could have seen himself as a victim and asked, “Why me, God?” But in the midst of adversity, slander, and disappointment, David chose to simply continue along the road. Due to his personal history with God, David knew how to anchor himself in the goodness of God and trust God’s heart in difficult days and seasons. Psalm 118:6-7 says, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid... The Lord is with me; he is my helper.” Let’s choose to anchor our hearts in God’s nearness as we encounter difficult circumstances or people today. May we, like David, continue along the road, fully trusting Him to journey with us.

Prayer: Father, thank You that I’m not alone as I deal with challenging circumstances today; thank You that You’re bigger than my emotions and greater than my fear. I choose to anchor my heart in truth and be led by Your Spirit. I release all my emotions to You, Lord, and declare that You are my ever-present help in time of need.