In Distress? Encourage Yourself
This post was written by Bro Randy Maynard, Assistant Pastor, Crossville First Free Will Baptist Church. I read this and thought I would share.
“In Distress? Encourage Yourself”
1 Samuel 30:6 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.
This is a remarkable story of how David and his men had come to their place of dwelling, which was Ziglag, and found it burned and all their wives and children taken captive along with all their possessions. The men were weary, I’m sure, for it had taken them three days to get there and then to find everything in ruin. David was distressed but the others talked of stoning him. When people are on edge, worried, grieve stricken and tired to boot sometimes they will strike out at anyone they can. Notice the end of the verse “but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God”. No matter how dark of times or how circumstances, we can be lifted up by the Lord if we will come before Him and seek His help. Notice if you will that David did not try and sway the people pleading his case but he encouraged himself in the Lord his God. We can learn from this. Too many times when trouble comes into our lives we look to a sympathetic ear to hear and agree with our situation, just trying to justify ourselves and make us feel better. We would be better off if we would do as David and encourage ourselves in the Lord our God. The problem may still be there but we will be able to deal with it more rationally this way.
Paul, in telling of his journey to Rome on board a ship that should not have sailed said this:
Acts 27:18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
He was telling them although it looked hopeless that God had sent an angel to bring hope and encouragement to Paul. Although it is not written here we can only assume that Paul was seeking the Lord for help in this time of distress and God answered him. He was assured he would arrive in Rome and all these that were sailing with him would be safe as well. Verse 25 says that he believed God. In times of trouble do you believe God? It would have been easy for David to have just thrown in the towel and said all is lost and there is nothing can be done about it. The same for Paul as he could have said God said this, but I don’t think we will make it.
Listen friend if you are in a storm today or distressed look to the Lord and let him encourage you in this time. Many is the time when I have encouraged myself just by seeking the Lord and telling Him all about the trouble. Guess what? He already knew all about it.
