When the Story Seems Too Long

 

When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. (1 Samuel 24:1-7 ESV).

 

When king Saul failed to obey and honor the Lord, Samuel explained that God would give the throne to “a man after his own heart” (cf. 1 Samuel 13:14). That man, David, soon entered the ranks of Saul’s army and became a powerful warrior. Saul felt threatened by this, so he launched an effort to pursue David and kill him. David escaped into the wilderness, living for years as a fugitive.

 

Now, God also tested David in a way like Saul, giving the young warrior a chance to take a shortcut around God’s leading and timing. While hunting for David, Saul ended up entering the same cave in which David was hiding. But Saul didn’t know David was there. David’s men urged him to kill Saul while he had the chance. But David refused, knowing it would be wrong to kill one who had been anointed by God to lead his people. He knew it wouldn’t be right to try to seize the kingship in that way. Eventually David became king over Israel, but by God’s timing, not his (cf. 2 Samuel 5:1-5).

 

When it seems that God is taking way too long to release us from our pain and trouble it is easy to be tempted to take short-cuts. It’s easy to grow frustrated when we think God should deliver us more quickly. Yet God’s timing is always for our good. The problem isn’t that God is taking too long; the problem is that we can’t see what only God can see. Our waiting shows our trust in him. Keep trusting no matter how long your journey seems to be!