This is entry 5/5 in a series on discouragement.

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. (1 Samuel 30:6, ESV)

One reason for discouragement could be that the very people we love and perhaps are responsible for turn against us. This happened to David. When he and his men had happily returned from their venture with the Philistines they found out that the Amalekites had overcome their hometown Ziklag and had taken away their wives, sons and daughters.

Immediately David’s people turned against him. They were so bitter in soul over the big loss they had suffered that they became very aggressive towards David and spoke of killing him. We need to understand their reaction. We, too, often become bitter, angry or aggressive towards those whom we see as the cause of our trouble, especially when something is taken away from us which is very important to us or which we feel we really need. In such a situation we tend to forget that God still is in control and active in our lives and in our ministry.

David was greatly distressed. Not only had he suffered the same personal loss as all the others, but his men also saw him as the one being somewhat guilty of the tragedy. David felt extreme pain. His heart was in anguish. Is there a cure for this intense discouragement?

David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. He did not allow the situation to take over and tell him what he should think. He followed the advice of Psalm 42:6: ‘My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you.’

  • He intentionally focused on the comforting attributes of God, that God is sovereign and powerful, just and kind under all circumstances.
  • He also remembered the way God leads His children: that He sometimes humbles or corrects them before he lifts them up.
  • David remembered the character of God, that God ‘can and will bring light out of darkness, peace out of trouble, and good out of evil, to all who love him’ (Matthew Henry).
  • David remembered the promises of God to make him king over Israel.
  • He remembered the Scriptures he had learned from the book of Deuteronomy (e.g. Deut. 34:4) and from those wonderful Psalms that he, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, was allowed to write himself (e.g. Ps 23:4).

And then David gave a wonderful answer to what he saw in God. It was an answer of faith and trust, which in return led to firm confidence and good action. Strengthening ourselves in the Lord our God, intentionally remembering Him in times of distress is a wonderful way to overcome discouragement.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)