Dealing with the Fools in Your Life – God is Good

As we continue through the end of the story of Abigail we find that she and David are to become man and wife. Surely now her life will be a bed of roses, a piece of cake, life on easy street – right? Wrong. Consider the circumstances of her new marriage:

• She is wife number three!
• For years she had to wander with David’s band of 600 men as a fugitive.
• She had to deal with David’s unbridled passion again when he had an affair with Bathsheba.

No, heartache was not over in this woman’s life.

No matter what stage of life you are in, life is hard, but God is good. In those early years of marriage most couples have nothing. Times are hard, but God is good. During the early years of parenting sleep is limited and peace and quiet is rare. Times are hard, but God is good. When children hit their teen years, the boundaries are stretched, parents are tested. Times are hard, but God is good. Relationship are tested in the home and in the workplace. Times are hard, but God is good. As we grow older our bodies fail, health problems are many, strength is small. Times are hard, but God is good.

A woman can have her wish list and say, “If only I could be married to that man! If I could be married to a man like David, life would be so much better. He’s so much more godly. I’d love to be married to a David. Really? He was a man given to moods and depression. He had women troubles.

There is no trouble-free existence this side of heaven, but God is good. There is a fairy tale ending if you’re a child of God, but it is not here. It’s not now. We must take the long view. Looks towards heaven. If you’re living with a Nabal, know that God will avenge all evil and all evil doers. God will bless and reward you if you wait for Him.

We’re all tempted to play the “if only” game and be discontented with our situation. I remember when our youngest daughter was a toddler, she had the hardest time when supper time came. She would be seated at the table with us, and because she was such an active little person, she grew weary of being seated at the table after only a few minutes. She would begin to swing her legs back and forth as she pleaded to get down so she could go play. After many “issues” at supper I decided to try something. I went ahead and let her get down with the warning that if she didn’t eat her supper she’d have to eat it sometime until it was gone. I’d wrap her plate up and put it in the fridge. Then after she’d been playing outside for a while she’d get hungry, and come inside for a cookie. Mommy warmed up her supper and put it in front of her to eat instead. She’d eat a few bites and go outside. Then a while later, she’d be back inside because she was hungry. The plate was heated again. and again. It wasn’t long before she realized that this meal was better the first time it was put before her, and that she’d better eat then go play. She understood in her small way that Mommy had given her something good to be enjoyed the first time it was placed before her.

We laugh at a child’s ability to manipulate to get their way when they don’t like what’s been given to them, but we do the very same thing. We become discontented with our house and begin “swinging our legs” and whining how we’d like a bigger one. We see another man who seems a better husband than our own and wish we could have one like him instead! In the midst of a trial, we want out, and begin to wail for our scenery to be changed. Our good God has given us what He knew was best, but we are discontent.

Contentment is being satisfied with one’s position, status, or situation. It is the sweet inward quiet, gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to God’s wise and Fatherly disposal in every condition. What situation or thing in your life finds you discontented? What makes you swing your legs and the table and cry to be excused?

Philippians 4:11 and 12 are very familiar verses to us. Paul is writing about contentment from a prison cell! He says in verse 11 that he has learned to be content. The word, learned, means that he learned by experience. He didn’t automatically have contentment the moment he was saved, he had to go through many difficult experiences in life in order to learn to be content. Then in verse 12 he says that he is instructed to be full and to suffer hunger, to abound and suffer need. The word, instructed, means something different than the word learned in verse 11. It means to be initiated into the secret. Through trial and testing, Paul was initiated into the wonderful secret of contentment in spite of poverty or prosperity. Where did he get this? In the secret place. Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. When Paul was in a place that was hard to accept, he took it to the Throne of Grace and prayed about it. This is the only place where you and I will learn to be content. What is it that you’re struggling with? Take it to the Throne. Make it a matter of prayer. Only then will you learn to accept it as Paul accepted his imprisonment, hunger and suffering.

In the Secret of His Presence

In the secret of His presence

How my soul delights to hide.

Oh how precious are the lessons

that I learn at Jesus’ side.

Earthly cares can never vex me,

Neither trials lay me low,

For when Satan comes to tempt me

to the Secret Place I go!

I tell him all my doubts,

my griefs, my fears,

How patiently He listens,

and my drooping soul He cheers.

Do you think He ne’er reproves me?

What a false friend He would be

if He never told me of the sins which He doth see.

Would you like to know the secret

of the presence of the Lord?

Come and rest beneath His shadow,

this shall then be your reward.

And when ‘er you leave the presence

of that happy meeting place,

You will surely bear the image

of the Master in your face!

–Ellen Goseth

As you continue to deal the fool in your life what do you do now?

You learn to wait. You endure hardship and suffering (not ever physical suffering – get out of a physically abusive situation and find safety and help!).

You learn wisdom.

You take the long view. Remember your life is bundled up in the Lord our God. In the long run God will take vengeance.

You let God use your life to influence Nabals and Davids. On the front end you don’t know who’s a Nabal and who’s a David. God had a plan for Nabal’s life and he used Abigail to bring that about. Her responsibility was to be this godly influence. How they responded was up to them – not her! We need godly, wise, biblical women today.

Why is this story of Abigail in our Bible? Romans 15:4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. There is hope for your Nabal. There is hope for your situation. Remember Abigail and be comforted.