Despondency and Bad Decisions

Our hearts go out to David.  We observe his history from the advantage of seeing how God finally enthroned him and blessed.  But David as we see him at the beginning of Chapter 27 of Samuel is at a low point.  The constant strains of the fugitive life, the wrongful hatred of Saul, the company of wild, disaffected men of unspiritual character all combined to drive him to despondency.  No less should we remember his separation from home, family, and the long time that these conditions had existed. As well, David could see no end to the current state of affairs.  We sympathize with him but cannot condone or agree with the decision he makes in the verse for today.  His decision should serve for us as a lesson that when we make decisions in despondency, because they are not spiritual ones, we can expect that they will cause us trouble.

It was so with David.  David made his decision on the basis of his feelings.  What he decided was by virtue of what he had “said in his heart.”  Be careful of the state of your heart.  Emotions come and go, and have, at times, very little to do with the facts of the case.  David made his decision without regard to either the history of his own situation, which proved that God was safeguarding him, or the promises of God, which guaranteed that he would one day be king.  Remember, Child of God, what your father has done for you already and remember what he has promised you.

David also made his decision without consulting God.  Three times he mentions himself, using the pronoun “I”, but never does he refer to God, His will, or His Word.  Whereas on other occasions David consulted God, on this occasion he merely decided on the basis of what seemed to him to be the best course.  Do not attempt to make your decisions on the basis of what seems like a good idea at a depressed time.  David’s decision got him into trouble immediately and in the long term.  The rest of the chapter shows him allying himself with the enemies of God’s people, engaging in blood shed and having to lie to hide his deeds.  The 29th and 30th chapters are the result of this bad decision.  Before you make some bad decision in a state of despondency, stop, consider; what has God done for you?  What has He promised you? What is His will for you?

 

Tomm Tice