Note: Jen’s article a couple of weeks ago and Granny’s article this past week show us that relationships are valued in our lives, and we do not take them lightly. People are important to us. Here is my contribution to this same thread.
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For the past several months, I, too, have been struggling with a relational issue involving someone I called “friend,” and this past week it finally got the best of me. I was so discouraged that I sat down for a moment, and while I do not recommend this method for studying the Bible on a regular basis, I randomly flipped open God’s Word, just to get a word of encouragement that was His choice to give. The passage I read was from I Samuel 22.
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So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.
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Believe it or not, these verses were immediately encouraging to my heart. Do you know why? Because the loss of this relationship had been especially hard on me – my inability to fix it left me feeling defeated as a one who claims to know God and one who thinks she can trust God for just about anything. The enemy had been bombarding me with accusations through all of this. I was distressed – the enemy had stolen my joy. I was in debt – I could not pay the price that was needed to fix this situation. I was discontented – I had struggled with wanting to cry to the Lord, “Why aren’t You doing something about this?!”
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But here were 400 men in my situation who submitted themselves to David’s leadership. And he accepted their service and devotion, even though it was imperfect and broken. These were not respected men who joined with him; these were men who had come to the end of themselves and who knew they needed something. They were people who are just like I am – distressed, in debt, and discontented. Yet David accepted their service and devotion, even though it was imperfect and broken, and he became their captain. Later, in I Chronicles, these people were called David’s mighty men, and they were his friends (see I Chronicles 11:16-19 for proof of this).
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In the same way, our precious Lord Jesus calls those to Him who know they need something. He calls those who are in distress, in debt (both spiritually and financially!), and discontented to come to Him. He will give us rest. He gave rest to my soul that day. The areas of imperfection and brokenness in my life that in any way might have contributed to the downfall of that relationship with my friend can be turned into something good if I allow Him to fill me with His joy, if I remember that He paid the debt for the things that destroy friendships, and if I put my trust in Him to heal. I can become mighty for Him because of His work on the cross, and I am called His friend.
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Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I look at my husband, my children, and my own life, I see brokenness and imperfection. Help me to rejoice that I can see this, for only then can I turn to You for healing. Help me to submit to You as my Captain, and thank You that You call me “friend.” (John 15:15)
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Challenge:
As you see brokenness and imperfections this week, rejoice! You have a Captain and Friend who loves you despite it all.
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Julie Bailey 2009
*
For the past several months, I, too, have been struggling with a relational issue involving someone I called “friend,” and this past week it finally got the best of me. I was so discouraged that I sat down for a moment, and while I do not recommend this method for studying the Bible on a regular basis, I randomly flipped open God’s Word, just to get a word of encouragement that was His choice to give. The passage I read was from I Samuel 22.
*
So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.
*
Believe it or not, these verses were immediately encouraging to my heart. Do you know why? Because the loss of this relationship had been especially hard on me – my inability to fix it left me feeling defeated as a one who claims to know God and one who thinks she can trust God for just about anything. The enemy had been bombarding me with accusations through all of this. I was distressed – the enemy had stolen my joy. I was in debt – I could not pay the price that was needed to fix this situation. I was discontented – I had struggled with wanting to cry to the Lord, “Why aren’t You doing something about this?!”
*
But here were 400 men in my situation who submitted themselves to David’s leadership. And he accepted their service and devotion, even though it was imperfect and broken. These were not respected men who joined with him; these were men who had come to the end of themselves and who knew they needed something. They were people who are just like I am – distressed, in debt, and discontented. Yet David accepted their service and devotion, even though it was imperfect and broken, and he became their captain. Later, in I Chronicles, these people were called David’s mighty men, and they were his friends (see I Chronicles 11:16-19 for proof of this).
*
In the same way, our precious Lord Jesus calls those to Him who know they need something. He calls those who are in distress, in debt (both spiritually and financially!), and discontented to come to Him. He will give us rest. He gave rest to my soul that day. The areas of imperfection and brokenness in my life that in any way might have contributed to the downfall of that relationship with my friend can be turned into something good if I allow Him to fill me with His joy, if I remember that He paid the debt for the things that destroy friendships, and if I put my trust in Him to heal. I can become mighty for Him because of His work on the cross, and I am called His friend.
*
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I look at my husband, my children, and my own life, I see brokenness and imperfection. Help me to rejoice that I can see this, for only then can I turn to You for healing. Help me to submit to You as my Captain, and thank You that You call me “friend.” (John 15:15)
*
Challenge:
As you see brokenness and imperfections this week, rejoice! You have a Captain and Friend who loves you despite it all.
*
Julie Bailey 2009
2 comments:
Julie,
What wonderful thoughts! Thank you so much for adding these--I'll be thinking on them all week.
--Barbara
Thank you sharing...perfect timing too! Many blessings to you, Julie!
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