Read I Samuel 19
2 So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.”
I don't feel like it. Ugh. Feelings. Did you know that we all feel emotions at different levels? Sure, you have observed it. But have you ever thought about it? Some people don't feel that much. And it is so much easier for them to act on logic and reason. Some feel too much and hardly do anything that follows any pattern or plan. It's easy to look at one or the other and condemn their behavior. But we all get there sometimes, to the place where the power of our feelings attempts to overtake us. Some of us just more than not. Feelings. They can paralyze us. Empower us. Confuse us. They aren't to be trusted. And David knows that. If I were him, I would skipping work if my boss wanted me dead. But he went. His vision, his anointing, and his friend all gave him the power to move past feelings into faith. David understood. David got it. He knew. He knew the God that had delivered the lion and the bear into his hands, and then delivered Goliath into his hands. So what did he have to fear?
6 So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” 7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.
8 And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.
9 Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. 10 Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.
Contrast David's reaction with Saul's action. Saul is feeling jealousy, to the nth degree. He is out of control. Jealousy.
William Penn sums it up best like this:
The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves.
We all feel jealousy at one time or another. The question is what you do with that feeling. Someone who is jealous of another persons skill can be propelled to work harder. Saul, feeling jealous of David's favor with the people, could have chosen to look at what he had become, and why he had lost favor with God and man. But he didn't. He chose to focus on the object of his jealousy.
Saul choose jealousy over joy, but David chose faith over feelings.
I pray that we would make the same choice as David did. I pray that the power of God's word would change our hearts, mold our minds, and empower our bodies to crucify the flesh and walk in newness of life, choosing faith and joy over feelings and jealousy.
** Tell us how you are going to choose faith over feeling today?
Ah feelings!! Yes, they can be such a struggle to deal with at times - especially jealousy!! Praise God for His word that comforts us, for His word that keeps us grounded. May we stay focused on God and His word continually! Thank you, Lauren, for your diligence in studying the word and deciphering it for us.
ReplyDeleteAmen! His word does keep us grounded! I know that's why the devil fights so hard to keep me from "feeling" like reading it.
DeleteToday I'm going to choose faith over feelings in believing what the bible days about me...that I am an overcomer, that I am loved unconditionally, that I am being made perfect, that I am wonderfully made, that Christ is always enough. Thank you for the focus today...especially on Monday! Love you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me it was Monday and bringing me back to the Truth of the word! I really understand why God says to put His word every where and meditate on it day and night! We are such forgetful creatures!
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