Something Cool

I Samuel 22:1-2:

1 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

Lemme set the scene. Saul, the king of Israel, has been unjustly turned against David, who was anointed to be the next king. He has tried to kill David a few times, though David did nothing to deserve it, and is currently hunting him throughout the countryside. David has been on the run, and even fled to an enemy country to escape Saul for a while.

On the run, hunted, harried, David finds a cave. His family hears of this and meets him there.

Then, the Word says that all who were "in distress or in debt or discontented" gathered there.

This really spoke to me the other day.

For those who are called to lead God's people in some fashion, that calling of leadership doesn't stop when we are going through hard times. Even in our grimmest hour, we are still called to lead, and we can give guidance and encouragement to others.

I don't know about you, but I find this encouraging. As a Sunday School teacher, I sometimes feel like a big hypocrite, and the Enemy starts whispering in my ear that I have no right to lead people. I'm troubled and hounded and harried by what's going on in my life, and I think, "How can I be a leader when my life seems so messed up and jumbled right now?"

But through these two verses--which could easily be seen by someone else as "filler"--God lifted me up a little bit. It was as if He said, "Look Dave, even my best guys have rough weeks and months. Times and seasons where it feels like they are failures, or a step away from everything crashing in on them. Even in those times, I call them to lead, and empower them to lead."

So here's something cool for you, especially those of you who are "leaders" in some way (even if it's just as the person your friends go to for counsel): Don't let your circumstances make you doubt your calling. Trust in the One who called you. He'll give you the endurance to persevere.