Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David (Samuel 19:1 NIV).
David was minding his own business one day, tending sheep, when God called him to be a king. He didn’t ask to be king, but God said he was the one. He turned out to be a great king. Imagine that? God made a good pick! David had a heart modeled after God’s, according to the Bible.
So, since God had chosen to bless David in such a way, why do we later find Saul trying to kill David? In fact, for some time, David is chased by Saul. David hides out, all alone, which is the setting we find him in during the writings of many of the Psalms. David was God’s choice for king and yet he was placed in incredible adversity.
What does this tell us? I think what it says to me is that sometimes God’s will for us will find us in the middle of trials in life. More importantly, I am learning that I cannot determine if I am in God’s will based on whether or not my life is peaceful. Just because I have trials, doesn’t mean I am not in the center of God’s will for my life.
Think about Abraham who faced the trial of leaving his homeland; Moses who wandered in the wilderness forty years; Joseph who was sold into slavery; Nehemiah who had to fight off naysayers; and Daniel who was thrown into a lion’s den. All of these great servants of God faced persecution, heartache, and trials beyond most of our imaginations. Yet, all of them, during the adversity, were right where God wanted them to be, in the center of His will.
Yes, we would all like life to be peaceful, and it is true that we can have inner peace in the middle of the storms of life, but God has not promised us a life free of problems. In fact, we can be perfectly within His will and still be facing adversity. It is often through the process of life’s difficulties that God makes us more like Jesus.
Trust Him today, regardless of your circumstances! He’s working a plan!
