Psalm 138:7 - Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.
What exactly did David mean by 'walking in the midst of trouble'? The NLT translates it as being surrounded by troubles.
I recently heard a Pastor on the radio talking about this verse, and he said it meant that David was in constant trouble. That made sense to me, and it got me to thinking about David's life. From what we read about him in the Bible, he was in constant trouble. Or at least in a constant struggle.
But the question I have is why? Wasn't he considered a man after God's heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). Why did he struggle so much and have so much trouble? Aside from the fact that he was still a human being like all of us and still a sinner, he was anointed by God to lead his people. Shouldn't have life been easier for him? That's what made me think about some of my own struggles.
When I sin, I often catch myself thinking, "What is wrong with me? Why do I do this? I should know better!" While this is true, I have to remember that I am also a human being and I a sinner. It is true that my soul has been saved when I confessed my faith in Jesus Christ, and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. But that doesn't mean that I won't make the occasional mistake. This doesn't give me a license to sin, but it does remind me that I need to remember that I need Jesus more and more. I need to remain committed to Him, and confess my sins to Him regularly.
That is why I believe that David was considered so special to God. Sure, he made mistakes, but he always confessed them. He always sought the Lord's forgiveness, wisdom, and direction for everything he did. He recognized his need for God in his everyday life, and he recognized the power of God's hand in everything. That is what God wants from us more than anything, I believe. He wants us to come to Him for everything. That intimate loving relationship with our Creator is what He seeks with us more than anything. He doesn't expect us to be perfect, because He knows we can't be. Jesus told us that He came to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners (Mark 2:17). That definitely includes me. I recognize that I am a sinner who needs Jesus Christ in my life daily. I tried it my own way for a long time, and saw where it got me. My way of doing things doesn't work for me.
What we don't read much of regarding David is his life before he was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel, other than he was the youngest of his brothers, and he was a shepherd. He definitely had a relationship with God, which is why Samuel was sent to seek him out. While he was young, and I'm sure that being a shepherd is not an easy life, I don't believe there is any way that the troubles he had during those years prior to his anointing were worse than he suffered for the 10 or 15 years after and before he became king. I believe that there were plenty of times that David wondered that life should be easier since he was anointed by God's Prophet to be the next king, so why wasn't it?
Jesus answered that question in John 16:33 when He said that we would have many trials and sorrows in this world, but to take heart because He has already overcome them. Life will not always be easy for those of us that believe in Jesus Christ. The daily struggle to remain true to our Lord and Savior while dealing with the temptation of sin from the enemy is real, and it is tough. There is no doubt that Satan works harder on those of us who identify ourselves as Christians. That is to be expected. We have to remember that our reward is in Heaven. Shouldn't this life be easier? Perhaps, but the next one will be free of worries, and that makes it all worth it.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promises. Thank You for overcoming this world so that I wouldn't have to. I pray that I will remain faithful and committed to You when I am faced with the temptations of the enemy. I know I will fall from time to time, but I know that You will be there to pick me up when I call out to You for Your forgiveness and mercy. I pray that those calls are kept to a minimum so that I can remain focused on serving Your Kingdom while I'm here on earth. I pray for those that are struggling to understand why their lives aren't easier now that they have confessed and repented of their sins, and committed their lives to You. My prayer is that they will remember that Jesus never promised that life in this world would be easier with Him, but that it would definitely be worth it. I pray we will all stay strong in our faith in You in the face of the enemy. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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