11(O)Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice.
1 Samuel 18:10-11
What I'm wrestling with here is the part that says "evil spirit from God." Can evil come from God or does He allow it? Could it be like in Job where God allowed things to happen but did not strike him Himself? What's happening to Saul in this passage is that God's hand has come off him and onto David. He's struggling with who knows what; his own guilt and regret maybe. To the point where he's ravaging throughout the house... maybe like a madman. In today's age he may have been looked at as a mental patient in a psycho ward or something. In any case, he was struggling with some issues and blamed it all on David. He failed to understand that it was his own actions that caused this torment. But no matter what he did he could not seek out his revenge because God had him protected and he knew it.
How am I like Saul here? I look back on my times of weakness where I'm sitting in the middle of a room totally discouraged and beaten. I'm consumed by "evil spirits" or "demons" because there's a definite struggle within me. I'm fighting it back and forth. Before Christ, there would be no struggle, I'd go with what felt good at the time. Now with Christ, the feelings of torment are still there but now there's a battle that God's fighting... and I'm in the way of victory. I need to look at myself in these situations to acknowledge my failures and limitations. Why are these things happening? What sin have I committed? How do I repent and draw back into God's grace? I must realize good and bad will come into my life, some warranted and others allowed by God for a purpose beyond my understanding. Everything that comes my way needs to glorify Him in heaven.
Father God, thank You for being an amazing Conductor of life and creation. In times of distress I need to respond faithfully. Then in my times with You in Spirit, I need to reflect on what did I do? What's my choices? How do I know what You want me to do? Wait? Move? Pray more? Whatever it is, it's only going to come as I spend time with You and ask these things.
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
No comments:
Post a Comment