People often go through difficult times, and we don’t know how to get through them, how to face them.
We don’t know what to do.
This time, I would like to share with you how to face those difficult times with God’s help.
To do so, I would like to share with you a story from the Bible.
In it, a person went through a very difficult time.
I’m going to make a few comments on this story to help us with some ideas for when we go through difficult times.
It is the story of King David when his own son Absalom attempted to usurp the throne of Israel.
On that occasion, King David had to flee his own home to prevent his own son from killing him.
Read with me a little of what happened, straight from the Bible:
David said to all the officers who were with him in Jerusalem, “Let’s get out of here!
We have to flee, otherwise we will not be able to escape from Absalom.
Let us hurry, not for him to get ahead of us.
If he reaches us, he will bring us ruin and pass all the people at the edge of the sword.
2 Samuel 15:14
Do you think that’s a difficult situation?
It certainly is.
Later in the bible account, in the midst of this situation, several things happened that I would like to highlight.
God places people to help us get through difficult times
The first is that in the midst of that difficult time, God put people in David’s life to help him get through it.
For example, look at the response of many of the people around him when he told them to run away by his side.
The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”
The king set out, with his entire household following him (…).
So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city.
All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.
2 Samuel 15:15-18
Not only these people, but many others, including foreigners, counselors, friends, priests, many valuable and trusted people sided with David at a time of such need.
Similarly, when we go through difficult times, we must be vigilant to appreciate and thank God for the people he puts around us to find support.
The situation may look so dark that we do not see clearly and think that we are completely alone.
But it never will be.
God will always put those “angels” around you to hold you when you feel you can’t fight anymore.
Trust in God’s will
The second is that, even though David’s past actions had brought him the situation he was in at the time, David rested by trusting in God’s will.
Rather than trusting in symbols, plans, or people, he was resolved to accept the will of God, whatever it was.
Read a little what David expresses regarding this subject in the Bible:
The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by.
The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.
Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God.
They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.
Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city.
If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.
But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”
2 Samuel 15:23-26
That same way, when we go through difficult times, even though we ourselves have provoked them, we can rest in God knowing that whatever happens in the end, God always knows what is best.
Instead of trusting the people around us, the plans we make, or the actions we take; first we must trust God.
Our lives are in his loving hands, and He is infinitely good and works with love, patience, grace, mercy, and justice for us.
God is interested in your situation and will not leave you
The third is that we see that God lovingly took an interest in David’s situation and always accompanied him.
He was attentive to David’s prayers and even gave them an immediate answer.
See what happens when David learns that his best government adviser allied himself with Absalom in his rebellion:
But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot.
All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.
Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.”
So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”
When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head.
David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden to me.
But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice.
2 Samuel 15:30 – 34
Upon learning of Ajitofel’s betrayal, David prays and asks God to make his plans or counsel fail.
His advice was so good that David feared that Absalom would use it.
Almost immediately, God answers David’s prayer by sending another very important old counselor named Hushai.
With Hushai’s arrival, David’s prayer was answered.
So David was able to send him to infiltrate as Absalom’s adviser.
In this way, make resistance to the advice of Ajitofel.
So, in that hard time, even though David had caused all this for himself, we can see how God never ceased to be interested in what was happening to David, what David wanted, needed, or felt.
So much so that he answered one of his prayers instantly.
In the same way, we can remember and trust that in the midst of our difficulty, God cares about us no matter what has happened or what we have done.
His eyes always look at us with love and sympathy.
His eyes always look at us with compassion, care, and tender interest.
We can pray with the confidence that he listens and cares about everything we tell him.
We can expect answers to those prayers as well.
Work to improve your situation
The fourth is that David did everything in his power to improve his situation or turn out as he thought best suited him.
Although David trusted God’s will, this did not stop him from trying to do his best to improve his situation.
For example, instead of sitting on his throne, he fled.
Instead of letting Absalom get away with it without a hitch, he sent infiltrators to keep him informed of what was going on in the palace and to interfere in Absalon’s affairs.
In this way, when we go through difficult times, we should not take a defeatist attitude or stop doing our part.
We must unite our efforts with those we hope will be God’s and let Him do His will by giving the result that suits best.
Remember
In the midst of difficult and uncertain situations, in the midst of problems, even if we cause them to ourselves, God puts people to support us during them.
We can rest in God’s will, whatever it may be.
We can have confidence and certainty that God cares about our prayers and considers and listens attentively.
We can even see how he answers them.
All of this must be considered while doing what we can to improve our situation or turn out as we see fit.
I hope these words are a blessing to your life.
And what do you think? How can we face difficult times with God? What is your opinion or experience? Share it in the comments.
A hug, God bless you.
