David's "BUT"

January 15, 2023

David is heralded as one of the Bible’s great heroes, a man after God’s own heart. His heroic acts as well as his shortcomings have been widely studied. We often see his story as one that signals that God is a redemptive God who can use anyone. In that, David was the youngest of eight sons – a small shepherd boy who would eventually become king and champion of Israel. Our Messiah came from David’s line; this is the prominence David has – no small feat.

What has made David one of my personal Bible heroes is his honest conversations with God. His “how long oh Lord” is something I can surely relate to. David wrote about half the Psalms and his deep cries of lament and perseverance has made his the most popular of them all. It’s where many people run when they are on the cusp of despair and can’t find the words; they use David’s, “keep me lord, don’t let me fall” or the ever favourite “save me from my enemies” Psalms.

We see from the account of David’s life in the books of Samuel as well as through his Psalms that he fell in love with God, he had a deep and personal relationship with Him. Even as a young man he had immense faith to believe he could kill a giant with stones! And before that, fighting and winning against lions and bears. Let that sink in, lions and bears, David fought lions and bears. Goliath is one thing but lions and bears?! Have you seen a lion or bear lately? Ok I think I made my point, we can all agree he had immense faith and courage.

I come to David’s story trying to understand how he was able to have such great faith and fall in love with God despite all the challenges he faced. We know he had great faith because almost every time after his lament he would say “BUT… you oh Lord are such and such”. What gave David his “But”? What made him always go back to “but you are my God, my faithful God, the everlasting that knit me in my mother’s womb”. I am intrigued to find out the essence of David’s critical pivot.

It’s a compelling story for me because David was given a promise by the anointing of God’s own servant to be King. Yet he endured so much between the time he was anointed and actually becoming King of Israel. During this sort of in-between period, David ran for his life from Saul for years as well as fighting other enemies. I repeat for emphasis that from all accounts of David’s life, we glean that this period was often spiritually difficult for him; he was not always on the mountain top of faith. But we know he was always honest with God and the punchline is that he always got back to the place of establishing who God is and kept holding on to his promise.

I want to know what made him fall in love through those years when the promise seemed to be a fleeting dream? I’m examining this because there have been times where it has been hard to feel loved by God during my own difficult times, when I am holding on to promises not yet met. I have struggled with “well if you love me, wouldn’t you save me sooner? Or “why have me face this if you truly love me, what happened to my promises God?” But David got a promise from God and held on to it despite having to hide in caves not knowing what would happen next. There must have been times when it seemed this promise would never manifest.

Can you hold on to a promise when it seems like it will never happen? Can you fall in love with the promise keeper when it seems like it was all a hoax? When it seems you would more likely lose your life over a promise rather than walk in it?

David always had a “But” GOD, I want to dive deeper into what that “but” meant for David, I want to learn from him to improve my own walk with God. So, I’ll be back when I’m done reading this story again.

2023 The Year of Promise

I have never really been one to harp on New Year resolutions; I don’t usually get year-end anxiety over unaccomplished goals. I do however, find much clarity and direction in prayerfully claiming a guiding word that defines each New Year. It serves both as a challenge in who I am endeavouring to become as well as a prophetic declaration over the next 365 days and beyond.

This started in January 2020 while pursuing studies when a professor challenged us to find a word to define the New Year – a word that we would hold close no matter what transpired in the year, one that would guide us, help us grow and enhance our life experience. Very prophetically, God gave me the word “PUSH”. Then March came around and the rest is history. The COVID 19 pandemic hit, the world spiraled out of control, and we were thrown into what seemed like a never-ending lockdown in Canada. When I say I had to push, I mean I had to push hard to maintain my sanity through isolation and separation from my husband and family. I had to push harder than I ever had to create some semblance of normalcy for my son as we huddled together to get through 2020. But with God’s never-ending presence and supernatural favour, I never pushed alone. He was there guiding in extraordinary purposeful overflowing ways.

As I looked towards 2021 still grappling with the pandemic, I said “Lord as I push, I need your PEACE”, so that was my guiding word for that year. 2021 had its own challenges with many experiences that came to teach me how to navigate and find the eye of the storm. Through it all, I constantly reminded myself that no matter what, I will stand on the truth that Jesus died not just for my salvation but also for my peace. Accessing and maintaining the peace of God is essential for a joyful life, I am not fully where I need to be in this regard, but very grateful for where I am.

In 2022 while still learning how to hold onto His peace, I realized that I needed to be able to PIVOT. No doubt this year has taught me how to change, evolve and course correct when things don’t turn out the way I would want. I am learning to accept circumstances for what they are and how to pivot instead of mourning over that which never happened. This has been a tough hard-fought lesson, a class that I am still in, but I now have a much clearer vision of how to shift and still win. Mid-year I also received the word PURPOSE, the Lord has been very deliberate in showing me that it's time to walk in purpose. I have therefore become more deliberate in being obedient towards His plans for my life. So 2022 was the year of pivoting and walking in purpose!

As I pondered what would define my 2023, the Lord has prophetically said PROMISE. I have struggled with God’s timing regarding the fulfillment of some promises, yes I have grappled with the “how long oh Lord”! However, recently there has been a shift and in my heart I know that in 2023 I will not only walk in God’s promises, but I will also rest in his timing. I have a clear vision that all will come to pass eventually, every blessing, every favour, I will get them all. Yes, it is about to be spring, winter is over! I can smell the flowers!

The “P” word every year has been purely purely coincidental, or maybe not and God will one day reveal the reason lol

I challenge you to prayerfully seek a defining word or phrase that will guide your 2023. What has God laid on your heart? What will you hold close no matter what happens? I encourage you to speak to 2023.