Trusting God in the Trials 1 Samuel 17 & 24

Trusting God in the Trials

1 Samuel 17 & 24

Have you ever been in a situation where you desperately wanted to know what was going to happen, but you couldn't?

You go to the doctor and they run a test, and now you're waiting for the results.

You apply for the job, and now you're waiting for the phone call.

You have a conversation with your spouse or your child, and you don't know where the relationship is going.

You look at your finances and you don't know how you're going to make everything work.

You're praying for something, and you're asking God, ‘What are You doing?’

One of the hardest things about life isn't always knowing that something is difficult. It's not knowing how it's going to turn out. Humans are resilient. If we know what’s coming even if it’s difficult we often are able to face it. But not knowing. That’s a different story. But when you can't trust the outcome, you can still trust God.

That's where we find David today. David knew God had anointed him to be king. What David didn't know was everything that was going to happen between the anointing and the throne.

We saw a couple weeks ago David was anointed as the next king of Israel, but it would be a while before he would sit on the throne. But in the waiting David would learn to trust God no matter the trail he faced. David knew the destination. He just didn't know the road he'd have to travel to get there. And sometimes that's where we live. We know God is faithful, but we don't know what the road ahead looks like.

Saul was still the sitting king and the Philistines had gathered against Israel. Saul led his armies out to meet them in the Valley of Elah. The Philistines on one hill and Israel on the other. And even though David wasn’t there at the start of the battle, before the battle was over he would have an opportunity not only tot trust God but to show Israel what it looked like to trust God in the face of trials.

The Philistines decided to use scare tactics to try to win the battle. They had a warrior that stuck fear in the heart of Saul and all his men.

If you have your bibles turn with me to 1 Samuel 17. 1 Samuel comes right after Judges and Ruth and right before 2 Samuel.

1 Samuel 17:4-11

1 Samuel 17:4–11

Goliath stood 9 foot 9 inches. Now that’s just a little taller than me. His armor was about 125 pounds. Just the head of his spear was about 15 pounds. Intimidating to say the least. Every morning and evening he would come out and taunt Saul, Israel and God. Saul and Israel were terrified.

Saul and Israel forgot that if God fought for them and 9.9 giant was nothing. But David would soon remind them how to trust God.

David’s 3 oldest brothers were in the service of Saul and at the front lines. But David was home tending his father’s sheep. Now their father Jesse wanted to get some news about how his sons were doing, so he sends David with supplies and to get word about his brothers. David loads up and heads out the next morning.

As David approaches the lines Goliath comes out for his daily taunting and David hears him. When Israel saw Goliath they all fled with fear. Saul was looking for someone who would be willing to fight Goliath and offered the man who killed the giant great wealth, his daughter in marriage and tax freedom for their family.

David doesn’t understand why everyone is hiding, so he starts asking around what will be given to the man who kills Goliath and removes this disgrace from Israel. Word makes it to Saul that someone was willing to go out and fight. Saul sends for David.

1 Samuel 17:32-36

1 Samuel 17:32–36

David tells Saul that he will go out and fight. Saul has come concerns. David you are a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. But David assures Saul that he can handle it. David’s past had taught him to trust. He had killed lion and bear, but David’s trust wasn’t in his own ability it was in God.

1 Samuel 17:37

1 Samuel 17:37

David trusted God when he had faced the trials, and he would trust the Lord again and show all Israel how they too should trust God.

Saul thought there was no way David had a chance. Saul gave David his own armor. But it was too big for David, so he took it off. And took only his staff, sling, and 5 stones even though he would only need one stone. David goes out to meet Goliath.

Goliath looks David over and sees that he is little more than a boy and all he had was stick. So, Goliath makes fun of David.

1 Samuel 17:43-47

1 Samuel 17:43–47

David trusted in the Lord and it was in God’s name that David faced Goliath. David would show Israel how to trust in the Lord. David runs towards Goliath and with one stone takes down the giant who had defied God and his people. David trusted in the Lord to face Goliath had he had done when facing the lion and bear. But this wouldn’t be the last time.

Saul was still king even though David had been set aside to be the next king, Saul soon becomes jealous of David. Saul, multiple times, tries to kill David. David must go on the run, because David wasn’t going to take Saul’s life himself. He trusted in the Lord, even when his life was threatened.

Once while Saul was chasing David, David and his men were hiding in a cave, when who happens to come in to relive himself? Saul. Davids’ men tell him that this is his chance. Saul had been trying to kill him and now David can take Saul’s life. So David crept up on Saul but instead of taking his life, David takes the corner of his robe.

1 Samuel 24:6-7

1 Samuel 24:6–7

David had to trust God when he faced the giant. But David also had to trust God when he was sitting in the cave. David even though he had been anointed as king and was being chased down by Saul, and yet he still trusted in the Lord.

Sometimes trusting God means trusting Him when you're facing something you can't overcome. Sometimes trusting God means trusting Him when you're waiting for something you can't control.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Proverbs 3:5–6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight. g

David didn’t lean on his own understanding. He trusted in the Lord with all his heart. No matter what trials or giants David faced he trusted in the Lord. Listen to Davids words as he hid in the cave, running for his life.

Psalm 57:1-4

Psalms 57:1–4

1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,

for in you I take refuge.

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings

until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who vindicates me.

3 He sends from heaven and saves me,

rebuking those who hotly pursue me— o

God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

4 I am in the midst of lions;

I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—

men whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.

Even in the midst of trials David trusted in the Lord. He says, “in you” God “I take refuge.” David knew what it was to face lions, and now the lions he faced had a name. Saul. David was on the run for his life, what does he do? He cries out to God! But not only does he trust in the Lord in trials he praises God in the face of them.

Psalm 57:5-11

Psalms 57:5–11

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

6 They spread a net for my feet—

I was bowed down in distress.

They dug a pit in my path—

but they have fallen into it themselves.

7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,

my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and make music.

8 Awake, my soul!

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

David was going to trust and praise God no matter what he faced because God is faithful, His love is great even in the midst of hardships.

Friends lets learn from David. Trust God even when you can’t see the outcome. When you get the diagnosis you didn't expect. When the hours at work get cut. When you're praying for God to open a door. When your hurt by someone you trusted.

Trust God even when things are hard…

Friends, David learned to trust God in the face of giants and trials. And we can too. Because here's the truth: when you can't trust the outcome, you can still trust God.

Paul gives us some practical steps we can take to trust in the Lord at all times and through all things. When life gets hard.

Philippians 4:4-7

Philippians 4:4–7

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul says “in the Lord.” He's not telling us to rejoice in our circumstances. Because sometimes our circumstances aren't good. You don't rejoice because you lost your job. You don't rejoice because you're sick. You don't rejoice because your marriage is struggling. You don't rejoice because your loved one died. You rejoice in the Lord.

Can I give you something to hold onto when life gets hard?

Your circumstances change. God doesn't.

Your feelings change. God doesn't.

Your situation changes. God doesn't.

Your future may be uncertain. God isn't.

So Paul says: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” And then he repeats himself: “I will say it again: Rejoice!” Praise God even when things are hard. Even when everything is falling apart. Rejoice in the Lord always. Not sometimes. Not when you feel like. Even when you don’t. Now, Paul isn't telling you to pretend that the pain doesn't hurt. He's telling you that the pain doesn't get the final word. Because God is still good. God is still faithful. God is still near. God is still worthy of praise. Rejoice in the Lord always.

Be anxious about nothing. Not most things. Not everything but this one area. No, be anxious about nothing.

See the progression. Don't be anxious → pray → petition → thanksgiving → God's peace. Paul doesn't simply tell us what not to do. He tells us what to do instead.

Anxiety often isn't about what is happening. It's about what might happen.

“What if...?”

What if I lose my job?

What if the test is bad?

What if my child makes the wrong decision?

What if my marriage doesn't work?

What if this doesn't get better?

What if God doesn't answer my prayer the way I want?

Be anxious about nothing.

When anxiety comes: Pray.

When fear comes: Pray.

When you don't know what to do: Pray.

When your mind starts running through every possible scenario: Pray.

Prayer is where we take what we cannot control and place it into the hands of the One who can.

Every situation. Not just the big ones. Not just cancer. Not just job loss. Not just marriage problems. Every situation.

“When you're worried about your kids—pray.”

“When you're stressed about money—pray.”

“When you're frustrated with your marriage—pray.”

“When you're waiting on an answer—pray.”

“When you're angry at someone who hurt you—pray.”

“When you don't know what tomorrow holds—pray.”

“When you're lying awake at 2 a.m. and your mind won't shut off—pray.”

Take it to God. Don't carry what God has invited you to give to Him.

Paul says: “with thanksgiving” He doesn't say: “Pretend everything is good.” He says: “Bring your requests to God with thanksgiving.” That means while I'm asking God for what I need, I'm also remembering what God has already done.

Thanksgiving changes what we see. Anxiety looks at everything that could go wrong. Thanksgiving reminds us of everything God has already done.”

David could have looked at Goliath and thought: “He's too big.” Instead David remembered: “God already delivered me from the lion and the bear.”

Why can I thank God when I don't know what's going to happen? Because my uncertainty about tomorrow doesn't erase God's faithfulness yesterday.

Remember God's faithfulness yesterday while you're trusting Him with tomorrow.

Trust that the Lord is near. Even in the midst of your disappointment. Fear. Failure. Heartbreak. Loss. Even when you can't see Him or feel Him, God is near. Trust that He is near. He is.

Take everything to God in prayer. God doesn’t promise to change our storms, but He promises to be with us and His peace will guard our hearts and minds in the midst of them.

Paul doesn't promise: “God will remove the problem.” He promises: “God will give you peace in the middle of it.” Sometimes we pray, ‘God, change my circumstances.’ And sometimes God does. But sometimes God's answer is, ‘I'm going to change you in the middle of your circumstances.’ The goal of trusting God isn't always getting God to change the situation. Sometimes God wants to change us while we're in the situation. The peace of God will guard your heart and your mind.

David learned to trust God in the face of giants and trials. And we can too. Trust that the Lord is near. Trust in His peace that doesn’t make sense. Rejoice in Him and take everything to Him in prayer.

And maybe the greatest place we learn to trust God is in the cross. Jesus' disciples didn't understand what was happening. Jesus was arrested. He was beaten. He was crucified. From their perspective, it looked like everything had gone wrong.

But God was doing something they couldn't see. Friday looked like defeat. Sunday revealed what God was doing.

Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave. And if God can take the worst thing that ever happened—the crucifixion of His Son—and use it to accomplish the greatest thing that ever happened—our salvation—then we can trust Him even when we don't understand what He's doing in our lives. And sometimes we're living in Friday, but God already knows Sunday.

Maybe today you've been asking God to change your circumstances, but God is asking you to surrender your life to Him. Put your faith in Jesus, repent of your sins, meet Him in the waters of baptism today. Trust Jesus!

Trust God because He has already proven Himself faithful in Jesus.