David’s path to become king of Judah was anything but easy. Saul was jealous. Saul wanted David dead. He mustered together a GREAT army to find David and kill him. David had to flee. He lived in the wilderness, in the caves, during this time. David was also betrayed by people who at one time were loyal to him. But there was one person who would never betray him. One person who would remain faithful to David no matter what. One person who always had his back: Jonathan, Saul’s son. Jonathan and David had formed a special bond when David worked for Saul. One day when David was hiding out, Jonathan came to find him. He had a message for his friend. When Jonathan found David, he said to him, “I want to encourage you to stay strong in your faith in God.”
Had Jonathan heard that David was about to give up? Had Jonathan gotten word that David was feeling weak and tired? We don’t know if that’s why Jonathan went to find David, but we do know that this was all God. God is the One who sent Jonathan. We can only imagine how encouraging this was to a young man who feared for his life. So, I had to ask myself… What did this look like for David? How would David stay strong in his faith in God? And then I thought… this message is for all of us. You may be feeling weak, betrayed, tired, worn-out, frustrated, or ready to give up. I know I need strength today. I believe you do too.
First, and most important of all, is that strength for the Christian is found in their faith in God. It’s not found in the government, people, your church, your family, or yourself. If we want to overcome our weakness, strength comes from our faith. Here are three ways to find that strength…
Trust in God’s character! David needed to remind himself of what he knew about God: that He’s faithful, just, right, pure, holy, and always good. God cannot lie. God will NEVER abandon His people. God never changes, nor does His character. This is what David needed to put his trust in. The same for you and me. The Bible reveals God’s character. Go back and soak it in. Reflect on His character and put all your trust in that.
Cling to God’s promises! David needed to remember that Samuel anointed him as king. That God had chosen him and appointed him. And based on what he knew about God, God would bring all these things to fruition in His timing. You may need to go back and remind yourself of what God has said to you… You belong to Him, you are valued and cherished, you are chosen. You may need to go back and remember important promises… He will one day make the wrongs right, He is right now preparing a new place for you, and He wins in the end. Remember that you are on the winning side. Hallelujah!
Keep God’s people close! We often think that David was alone in the wilderness, but the Bible tells us that many people had come to be with him. By the time Jonathan arrived on this day, David had about 600 men with him. It was important for him to not withdraw and isolate himself, but to let God’s people speak into him, pray over him, and hold him up. When we’re facing struggles, it’s easy to hide under a rock and not let people in. That’s the worse thing we can do. Always keep God’s people close to you because they will help you.
So, like David, let’s stay strong in our faith in God. We can rise above the pressures, the hurts, the pain, and the difficulties. We are warriors. And give someone today the same message Jonathan gave to David.