David sought refuge among the Philistines from Saul's relentless attempts on his life. There's no record in the Bible about David's motives. Did God send him there or was he simply frustrated?
God chose Saul to be king over Israel and sent David to assist him. Saul wasn't prepared and viewed David as an enemy. By rejecting David and seeking to kill him, he lost David and all the men he would have trained as warriors. When faced with the threat of a Philistine attack, Saul's desperate for God's guidance.
Meanwhile, David is now put in a compromising situation. He's told Philistine King Achish that he's been raiding parts of Israel when he's actually going after Israel's enemies. King Achish wants David to fight with him against Israel. What makes a situation frustrating?
1) An inability to be removed.
2) A response or compliance we don't feel/want.
3) An inner voice telling us things could be better.
Frustration is merely self-centeredness wearing a mask of submission. When we're frustrated, we're operating outside of love.
When Saul's efforts to get direction from God fail, he resorts to using a medium. Psalms 66:18 says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear." He disguises himself and goes to her for a seance to contact the deceased prophet, Samuel.
There's much debate over whether she actually brings back Samuel or if it's a familiar spirit. When people go to a medium, they usually speak good things. Samuel tells Saul God is now his enemy because he didn't obey God concerning Amalek. He tells Saul that he and his sons will die in battle - definitely not good news.
Frustration isn't a sign that we are in the wrong place. Rather it shows us we are not in the right mindset to grow. Left unchecked, it will separate us from an authority we were intended to grow under. Frustration involves bottling up our feelings instead of dealing with the situation in a godly way. If we're frustrated, we won't grow in the situation.
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If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to our Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 AM. Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Rte. 611), in Warrington, PA. We look forward to meeting you!
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