By Bailey Maycumber
When you are put in a situation that you are not able to control, remember that you are always empowered to choose how you react in that moment. When we are in distress, there are an abundance of ways we may process information, but God calls us to find peace in Him as we decide how to react to the pressure: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). The support of God, a being Who is infinite and all-powerful, should give us relief, so why do we struggle to put our faith in Him?
In the Old Testament, we read many stories about people who seek God and are comforted by Him. Two of these beloved characters who come to mind are David and Joseph. Both of these men led their lives in dedication to the Lord and sought to rely on Him and find peace in uncontrollable situations. Unfortunately, in David’s story we can see that there are times when, rather than seeking God, the decision to handle things his own way leads to chaos and even death.
In David’s life, he was no stranger to difficult situations. Peace is not a word that comes to mind to describe David in later life, especially when it came to his relationship with his son Absalom. When David’s daughter Tamar is raped by her brother, Amnon, Absalom expects David to punish Amnon. David is said to be very angry, yet two years go by without a punishment to Amnon for his actions against Tamar. We see no evidence that David goes to the Lord for comfort or guidance in how to handle the situation and instead chooses anger and lack of action.
Absalom loses patience, takes matters into his own hands, kills Amnon, and then flees out of fear of David's reaction to the news of Amnon’s death. Absalom stayed away for three years. During this time, David longed to go to him but refused to do so. It took David’s commander and the words of a wise woman to convince him to send for Absalom to be brought back. Even though Absalom was brought back, David refused to see him for another two years forcing Absalom to once again take matters into his own hands before he was able to be recognized and forgiven by David. Over these five years there were multiple times where David could have found peace amidst the conflicts and betrayal by his son. He could have forgiven his son, prayed to God for assistance, or even addressed the situation rather than just ignoring it and feeling discomfort and loss. In Ephesians 4:26-27we are instructed, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Forty years go by, and one would hope that there was finally some resolution to be found between these two men, but that's when Absalom decides to betray David and claim his throne. Having all of Israel turned against him, David now must flee for his life. Absalom is accompanied by David’s counselor Ahithophel in his betrayal. So now, not only is David betrayed by his son and his people but also by his trusted counselor. It is at this juncture in their rocky relationship that the scripture tells us that David turns to cry out to the Lord for help. Because David finally pleads to the Lord, we see how God works to overthrow Absalom and those who betrayed David. Ultimately, Absalom is overthrown and, against David’s command, killed, and David weeps and is deeply burdened by the loss of his son. Joab warns David that, due to his grief, he is making his soldiers feel as though they have lost the battle and that their king is ungrateful for their heroic actions to win him back his crown. After a discussion with his commander, David sees that he needs to take up his duty as king and encourage his troops for their actions, or they may try to retaliate against him.
It is hard to say if David and Absalom’s relationship would have had a different conclusion if David had looked to the Lord sooner to find peace between them. Even after the loss of Absalom, David chooses grief and pain over seeking counsel from God in how to handle the situation and has to be put in his place by those close to him to help him stand up and be the king God had called and intended for him to be. Peace is not an easy thing to achieve when we feel betrayed or are surrounded by conflict. We may want to smother those emotions rather than face the reality of a situation and find solutions, or maybe, we want to wallow in our grief, letting our emotions manipulate and often paralyze us, making us useless in the kingdom. As difficult as facing conflict can be, through prayer and forgiveness we must make the righteous choice. This choice will bring us closer to the Lord, help us resolve conflict, and help to resolve the turmoil that we feel within. Then, we can have peace.
Another example of a God-fearing man who was betrayed by those he loved was Joseph. In Joseph's story, his brothers, those closest to him, plotted first to kill him but then decided to sell him into slavery instead. We don't have any account of what Joseph thought or how he felt during this betrayal, but we are able to read that the Lord was with Joseph who subsequently found favor with all those whom he served. Throughout all of his circumstances, Joseph never loses faith in God. We actually see him grow in his faith and reliance on God, glorifying Him in every situation. When Joseph chose to resist the advances of Potiphar's wife, he chose God over lust and sin. While this choice ultimately results in Joseph being thrown into prison, it still led to him finding favor in the eyes of those around him, favor with the Lord, and of course, finally, favor with the Pharaoh himself. When the famine comes upon Egypt and Joseph’s brothers come to buy food for their survival, Joseph provides for them and strategically makes sure they return to Egypt so that he is able to provide for his father and all those who are related to him. He weeps and tells them it was not their actions that sent him to Egypt but God’s so that He could have the opportunity to care for them.
Joseph chose to find peace in every situation of betrayal and conflict by dedicating himself to God and trusting in God’s wisdom and commandments. It would have been easier to give up and throw in the towel with the words of, “Woe is me, why is this my life?”. Choosing that reaction would not have benefited Joseph in any way other than maybe feeling justified to have a “pity party.” God never left him, and we see the evidence of peace Joseph found in every situation. God does not promise us an easy life, but he does promise us that He will never leave us: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4).
Peace can be found no matter what conflict we are facing. It all depends on if we rely on our own wisdom as David did, or if, like Joseph, we are willing to turn our face to God and open our hearts to let Him in.