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David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. — 1 Samuel 22:1
Life has stressors
Trusting God can be hard. There are times when God’s silence, His closed doors, or His redirection can be truly difficult for even the most faithful believers. Many of us find ourselves with full plates and empty tanks. Sunday is tomorrow—when it seems like it was just yesterday.
These problems can be compounded when we are the reason for our struggles. There is no wayward child or contentious ministry leader to blame. It is simply me.
In 1 Samuel 22, David’s fear and life’s stressors drive him to a cave. Can you imagine the soon-to-be king cowering? A man after God’s own heart has relegated himself to hiding in a cave after fleeing from Saul and not finding refuge in the hometown of the defeated giant Goliath. Adullam is not where he thought he would be at that point in his life. This surely could not be what he imagined as the oil from Samuel’s horn ran down his head and “the Spirit of the Lord rushed” upon him (1 Samuel 16:13). And when we are not where we thought we would be, we too will feel life’s pressures.
Life has seasons
Fall is my favorite season. There is something special about watching football on a Friday night with a slight chill in the air. In all honesty, I wish we could skip winter and go straight to spring. However, I know that is not possible. The reality is that when the leaves start falling from the trees, it is an indicator that winter is coming soon. No season can be hurried, skipped, or wished away.
Although the bad news for David was that he was in a cave, the good news for David was that he would not be there forever. Thanks be to God that the same can be said about each one of us in whatever season of life we find ourselves. How do you respond to the season you are in? David provides the solution: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).
Life has safeguards
Even though David’s fear led him to the cave, God’s favor blessed him while he was there. The Bible says David entered into the cave as one man but left as the commander of 400 men. Hear me well: God has you where you are for a purpose that will glorify His name—if you are in His will. The cave intended for cowering turned into a campground for conquering. The very walls that may feel restrictive can be used to reveal God’s plan for our lives. It is not for us to always understand why we are where we are, but to trust in Him to safely see us through.
