The Sough of Despair

People have weaknesses, strengths, failures, successes, defeats, and triumphs. David had all of these. He is the shepherd boy we love and the one with enough courage to fight a monster giant named Goliath and win with a slingshot. However, other moments, such as when David experienced explosive anger against Nabal and his impulsive decision to take vengeance against him, were not so impressive. He didn’t do it only because of Abigail’s courageous intervention.

In chapter 27, David falls into what John Bunyan called the “Slough of Despond.” Now, we are shown another episode in David’s life that is not impressive. For the next 16 months, David will not write any psalms. There are no recorded prayers. During this time, David makes his decisions from a humanistic viewpoint. This is one of the darkest periods in David’s life.

Here, David chose to live under the protection of the Philistines and even collaborate with them. How puzzling since the Philistines were the archenemies of Israel. We all talk to ourselves, but when we lie to ourselves, we are on dangerous ground. This is David talking to himself and ignoring God’s promises and God’s track record of providential care. “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.” (1 Sam 27:1).

What is so odd about David’s action is that he chooses what he says he does not want. He abandons what he says he does not want to lose. He embraces what he says he does not want. He forfeits his “share in the heritage of the LORD” by fleeing (1 Sam 26:19-20). Was David looking for a ship to Tarsus like Jonah? It appears so.

Incredibly, we often do the opposite of what we really want when discouraged. That is why it is perilous to make crucial decisions when disheartened. Our conclusions will be inaccurate, and our actions will take us where we do not want to go. Psychologist Rollo May has said, “Man is the only animal that runs faster when he has lost his way.

David experienced the kind of crushing doubt that overcame Elijah many years later in the aftermath of his great day of triumph. Elijah, who had undergone the supernatural power of the Lord in marvelous ways, then faced a battle of doubt and fear. Both Elijah and David do the very thing they have feared—the very thing they have been protected from experiencing. Discouragement can drive us away from God and from his path for us. Fear, doubt, and emptiness cause us to make impulsive decisions like David and Elijah.

The gifted David was a man with a sinful nature like all of us. The only difference between David and Saul was David’s commitment to the Lord, which is wavering now. It doesn’t matter who we are. We are in trouble when we stop trusting God for our deliverance and start figuring it out on our own.

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Plodding On

Some weeks can be tough; things don’t go right, people don’t cooperate, the weather is not good, and things can go wrong. All we can do is trudge on during times like this. If we allowed discouragement to dictate our next move, we would stop, but we don’t listen to the negative voices in our heads. Instead, we trust that God is working even in this terrible trial we are experiencing.

Discouragement tells us to quit; we are not worthy and paints a picture of what we have done from the view of failure. Our enemy uses discouragement to get us to change our direction or, even worse, quit; instead, we plod on.

There is something to be said about just plodding on even when we are tired, discouraged, or confused. At that moment, we are bombarded by the accusations of people, and worst of all, Satan is the great accuser. But, plodders keep on going. They may go slow or backward for a while, but they don’t quit; they keep at it!

David describes a time when he struggled: “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold” (Psalm 73:2). This description could be for all of us. David tells us his thoughts and struggles in that Psalm, but at the end, he tells us what made the difference: “till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny” (Psalm 73:17). When David entered God’s presence, he realized how inaccurate his thinking was, and his perspective changed. If we keep plodding on until we hear from God, we, too, will see things from his perspective.

Isaiah gives us the secret to find strength in these difficult times with these marvelous words:

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives strength to the weary  and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary,and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

 

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A Battle Worth Fighting

 

For more than 25 years, I have been fighting for the lives of the unborn in any way that I can. It seems inconceivable to me that some people do not value the lives of the unborn. I realize this is a battle in which powerful forces are involved, including government, media, academia, corporations, and men and women who seek their convenience. On the other side are people who see abortion as simply a matter of choice. Their question is, “What right does anyone have to tell me what to  do with my life?” Our question is, “What right do we have to take an innocent life?”

Over these past 25 years, I have heard arguments such as it is not really a life but just a clump of cells, but that has been debunked since we know the little hearts start beating at one month.

Another argument is that this life would be better off ending now than facing the world that awaits it. That is debunked with the truth that there are people ready and willing to adopt babies given the chance. Language is critical to the abortion industry. In fact, the word abortion is never mentioned. Instead, women’s reproductive health care is substituted. Murder or killing of the fetus or baby is not said but rather a termination of the pregnancy.

There are many more reasons given to support abortion, but what changes everything is to consider that this is a moral issue. If there is a creator, God, who created all of us and is still creating through the process of the birth of a child, then we recognize this act of creation as sacred and not to be interfered with.

Even if we concede, and I do that when the life of the mother is at risk, then the mother’s life must be given priority. The morality of life is what answers the question of those who believe that life is sacred and no one has the right to take the life of another innocent person.

Spiritual Growth

 

Life continually brings change to every human being on the planet. That’s because that is what life is. We change physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually as we grow. Change is happening whether we realize it or not, whether we want it or not. Adapting in a positive way to change is essential for spiritual growth. Change is not easy, and we often resist it because we are more comfortable with the old—with what we are familiar with. But, like water that runs under the bridge, the old cannot stay, and the new will come whether we want it or not. One of the most important goals in life for the believer is to mature and grow up. Paul wrote to the Ephesians that we will grow and mature by speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15).

Maturity takes us to noble and inspiring places, but the journey is always challenging and sometimes arduous. Occasionally, we dig our heels in, refuse to grow up, and make the necessary changes. When we do that, we suffer for it by preventing the growth that will make us more fulfilled.

We are petty if we refuse to grow and allow immaturity to control us. We react in petty ways and struggle with resentment, often exhibiting anger. But, when we grow, we deal with change and mature in the process. We let the petty things go and experience a far better version of life.

Learning to control our emotions when going through difficult circumstances and change is hard but essential. With every breakdown in self-control, we and others suffer the damage from our negative emotions. Likewise, we suffer from others’ lack of control.

My favorite word is the complete opposite of petty—it’s magnanimous. It means to show a lofty and courageous spirit. When we are resentful and refuse to understand why, we are usually being petty. When we can let go and move to better things, we are being magnanimous.” Petty means little and selfish, while magnanimous means big-hearted and generous.

Most often, the result of being magnanimous leads to redemption, our own and that of others. It involves forgiveness and allowing God’s grace to do its work.

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