WHEN YOU DO RIGHT AND THINGS STILL GO WRONG
David is an example of a man who had a heart for God, a type of one who did right (except for the sin of Bathsheba and Uriah). “David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:5). From the moment Samuel poured oil over him, anointing him king over Israel, “the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13). It is said, “Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him. . . . David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. . . . And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David” (1 Samuel 18:12, 14, 28).
So what does David get for all this goodness? Trouble on all sides! But remember, God was still with him.
Think back to when this same godly man stood fearlessly before the giant Goliath. Think of the crowds cheering, “David has slain his ten thousands.” Now he shrinks in fear and his best friend has been alienated from him. He is so gripped by panic that he pretends to be mad in order to save his skin. He ends up hiding out in the cave Adullam with four hundred discontented has-beens gathered to him. David said, “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 27:1). David was now torn by many fears. He must have thought back to the day of his anointing as a big mistake, thinking, “Lord, You can’t be with me; I can’t be Your anointed one. Everything is going wrong. It’s no use. Evidently You are mad at me.” Have you ever said anything like that?
But God had not forsaken David—not for a moment. For we know “the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13). So it is with you and me. The day God’s Spirit brought us to Jesus and anointed us, He came to stay, to abide. In your trial, in your discomfort, He is your comforter. Things may seem to be going wrong, but for you who trust, God has everything under control.
So what does David get for all this goodness? Trouble on all sides! But remember, God was still with him.
Think back to when this same godly man stood fearlessly before the giant Goliath. Think of the crowds cheering, “David has slain his ten thousands.” Now he shrinks in fear and his best friend has been alienated from him. He is so gripped by panic that he pretends to be mad in order to save his skin. He ends up hiding out in the cave Adullam with four hundred discontented has-beens gathered to him. David said, “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 27:1). David was now torn by many fears. He must have thought back to the day of his anointing as a big mistake, thinking, “Lord, You can’t be with me; I can’t be Your anointed one. Everything is going wrong. It’s no use. Evidently You are mad at me.” Have you ever said anything like that?
But God had not forsaken David—not for a moment. For we know “the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13). So it is with you and me. The day God’s Spirit brought us to Jesus and anointed us, He came to stay, to abide. In your trial, in your discomfort, He is your comforter. Things may seem to be going wrong, but for you who trust, God has everything under control.