” …Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” (Ps 30:5).
Attitude, it has been rightly said, determines altitude in life. David’s attitude under such a trying circumstance (kindly refer to my last post for context) made the difference between defeat and victory. He was sensitive enough to know that he had a choice in the matter. No doubt the situation was grievous, disheartening and frustrating. Nonetheless, David still had an indispensable part to play in determining the ultimate outcome. Though we may have no control over our night season experience, we certainly have control over our response to it. We can learn from David’s response to his night season at that point in his life—an attitude which led him to the joy that comes in the morning.
Firstly, David demonstrated uncommon resilience. He had felt just helpless as his followers had, having lost as much if not more than they had. Though he had wept until, like they, he had no more strength to weep, he strengthened himself in the Lord his God. This implies that David viewed his current situation as a setback from which he would make a come back. Sometimes God allows us go through difficult and unpleasant experiences for His sovereign purposes. However, unlike David in this case, sometimes we dwell in an experience that we are simply meant to go through. That was the costly mistake Israel made in the wilderness. God intended the wilderness to be a passage, and not a destination for them, but because of their wrong attitude, they perished in the wilderness.
Secondly, David did not let the opinion of his followers dictate or even influence his response. Though he was distressed by their attitude towards him, he refused to let it sway him. Somehow he knew his men were not thinking clearly and were, therefore, reacting impulsively. Beyond that, however, his response was based on his focus—God. Whenever we focus on God and His strength, we are able to handle manifestations of human frailty with grace and equanimity.
Thirdly, David inquired of the Lord. “So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all. ”” (1Sam 30:8). Like David did, this is the most important thing we can do when we face the night season of life. What if David, in his grief, had not turned to God? Imagine what he would have missed. God is the only source of true deliverance and promotion. In fact God Himself invites us to seek Him : “‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’” (Jer 33:3). Also remember that, ““God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19). Therefore, since God has promised to answer us when we call upon Him, and to reveal great and mighty things to us, we should rest assured that He will certainly keep His promises.
Fourthly, David was willing to follow God’s instruction. It is one thing to hear from God, but another thing to do what He tells you. It is still those who are willing and obedient that will eat the good of the land (Isa 1:19). Even in the midst of the night season, God expects us to exercise faith by believing and acting on His word, as quickened and applied by the Holy Spirit. David did not know what direction the captors of his and his men’s family had gone, but because he obeyed God’s command to pursue, overtake and recover all, God arranged things to guide him in his pursuit. They found a moribund Egyptian slave of an Amalekite, whose cooperation, after some refreshment, led them to the location of the raiders. “So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.” (1Sam 30:18-19).
Finally, David’s night season at that point in his life gave way to the dawn of a joyful season. For “… Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” (Ps 30:5). Remember what God says concerning you : “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.” (Ps 91:15). Therefore, YOU TOO SHALL RECOVER ALL IN JESUS NAME. Shalom.
