Lessons in Resilience from the life of David - Lesson 2.

Introduction

Tell the story of the missing tent poles on top of Mount Durnford.

I tell that story, because the boys involved were presented with a problem. The question was how were they going to solve it? When two people in the group lose their tent poles, it doesn’t just affect those two people. It affects the whole group. The whole group needed to respond to the problem.

How you respond to adversity matters.

Remind the audience of the summary verse for the whole section - Ephesians 6:13

Ephesians 6:13 ESV

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Paul says to the Ephesians, there is an evil day coming. There is a time coming that is going to pressure you, that is going to bend you out of shape like this tennis ball. Then he tells them how he wants them to respond. How does he want them to respond? By standing firm. He wants them to be resilient.

How should you respond to adversity? Three things.

1) Adversity can bring out the worst in people

For some, the pressures of life cause them to be bitter and resentful. Others will become depressed and despondent, and still others will find solace in giving themselves over to their vices like substance abuse, gambling and various other kinds of addictions.

When this happens it is heartbreaking and destructive. Families are torn apart, churches split, communities separate an emotional wounds never fully heal. King Saul in 1 Samuel is an example of this.

Paul knew this all too well and he writes about it in Philippians 3:18 - 19

Philippians 3:18–19 ESV

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

There is no resilience there, only shame and eventual destruction.

2) Plan for it

When Paul says in verse 14 - 17 that the Ephesians should be:

fasten on the belt of truth

put on the breastplate of righteous

take up the shield of faith

put on the shield of salvation

He is telling the Ephesians to prepare now for the coming evil day. He is not saying, wait for the day to come and then do it. It is too late by then. Prepare now.

Recongnise that difficult days are coming and prepare now for it.

3) Recognize God’s sovereignty in it all

All circumstances, whether they be trials and hardships or ease and comfort are brought about by God’s kind and omnipotent hand.

David may have been King of Israel for 33 years, but his life was filled with adversity. After David had been annointed the new King of Israel and after he killed Goliath, David rose to fame and significance quickly in Israel. But this placed a target on his back and Saul hated David for it. Saul tried to kill David at least four times between 1 Samuel 19 and 1 Samuel 24.

In response, David neither hates Saul nor does he choose to kill Saul when the opportunity presents itself. On two occassions David is presented with an opportunity to take Saul’s life and he was urged to do it by his companions. But on both occassions David chooses not to and asks, “How can I stretch out my hand against the Lord’s annointed and remain guiltless”. He goes on to say that it is the Lord who made Saul king and it is the Lord who must remove Saul from the throne. David displays incredible restraint and remarkable resilience in it all. Instead of taking Saul’s life, David pours out his heart to the Lord in prayer, many of which we still have recorded in the Psalms for our benefit.

4) Consider the response of Jesus

In Isaiah 52 and Isaiah 53 we are told that during the arrest, torture and eventual crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ that:

his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance.

That he was despised and rejected by men.

That he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

that he was smitten by God and afflicted, pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities.

That it was the will of God to crush him.

Yet in calamity after calamity, adversity after adversity:

he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a sheep before it shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

The response of Jesus to suffering is remarkable! It blows my mind that Son of almighty God could endure such torment and tribulation at the hands of sinful men and endure it in utter silence.

Yet, when he looks down at the Roman centurion he prays and says “God forgive them, for they have no idea what they are doing”. That response is other worldly, it is astounding, it is divine, and it stands as the Christian model of resilience.