1 Samuel 20 -- The Hardest Times When In God's Will

This chapter has always seemed so poignant to me.  From Jonathan’s standpoint, he was put in an impossible position – wanting to remain loyal to his father, King Saul, yet also having to finally admit that his father’s heart was filled with evil and knowing that he would have to go against him.  It was also terribly unfortunate that his father’s anger was directed towards his best friend, David.  Jonathan had come to understand and readily accept God’s will for his life – that he wouldn’t become king that his best friend would.  There was so much unsaid about this:  Jonathan was agreeing to let his future family become substantially poorer by his choice, with a resulting loss of prestige as well.  And had it not been David assuming the throne, he’d have had to worry about his entire family being assassinated.

 

David faced a similar conundrum.  He was right in the middle of God’s will but facing terrible persecution by being there.  And the heartache of separation from his best friend surely didn’t feel like a blessing from God.  Yet my commentary said, “It wasn’t God’s will that David permanently join himself to Saul and his family, for they belonged to the wrong tribe and represented a rejected and condemned monarchy.”  Sometimes God’s will is hard, but it is also necessary and designed to bless us in the end.

 

I faced a similar circumstance years ago when my own best friend was moving.  God had put us together, I could tell, to grow me spiritually.  I wondered what would happen, and my heart was breaking.  But through that event, He strengthened me and gave me the desire to fight all the more to know more about Him on my own.  Similarly, the task of adopting from Ukraine meant huge changes for me – going from single guy to single father was unimaginable, but enduring the whims of a foreign government just made it worse.  But through that experience God amazingly watched over and guided me and grew my faith incredibly!

 

Father, help me to see any persecution I endure not as a curse, but as a blessing, knowing that through it You are in the process of perfecting me and driving me headlong into Your perfect will.

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford