Beloved God’s children in Christ,
Why does distress comes in a spiritual man’s life?
In Psalms 18:6, we can see David singing, “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and I cried unto my God”.
Distress is an essential in a man’s life. There are two types of distresses. In the first type, the man who is distressed murmurs against God and loses his blessings. In the second type, the man who is distressed receives blessings. In the Bible we can see many saints of God who faced distress and were blessed. David was such a man in distress.
In 1 Samuel 30:6 we read that David was distressed. He was distressed because of his transgressions. When you remove the mistakes, the distress will be eliminated. David lost his wife, children, wealth, food, cattle, and everything he had. The six hundred people who were with him also abandoned him. These six hundred people were with David and enjoyed everything. Those six hundred people, who were once praising David, now became his enemies and sought to stone him to death. The reason for David’s distress was his own fault. But the reason behind Job distressed was, that God wanted to make Job a great model.
Let us examine the five reasons behind David’s distress
Firstly, David doubted God’s protection. David forgot God’s protection and says, it is sure that I will die of Saul’s hand one day. David lost his faith upon God.
Secondly, going away from the place where God has kept. In 1 Samuel 22:5 we can see that God told David to go to the land of Judah. But David told that he will go from Judah to the land of Philistines. If you remain in the place where God has kept you, there is protection; there is peace of God, and God’s counsel. But if you be in a place where God has not kept you, distress will come in your life. We should have self effort, self righteousness and mind. David wanted to leave God’s people and live among the people who were against God.
Thirdly, seeking influence among the adversaries of God. This is also a reason for the distress. Lot left Abraham and went to Sodom and sat at the city gate and looked for influence. And he was distressed because of that.
Fourthly, Lying comes into the lives of God’s children. David lied in his life. The main reason for this was the Godly man lived among the Philistines.
Fifthly, he fought against the God’s people. In 1 Samuel 28:1 we can see David fighting against the God’s people. God will never bear this. God let this distress come in David’s life so that he can turn David away from this. When Balaam went with Balak to curse the children of God, God did not allow him to do so. Prophet Balaam gave counsel to lead God’s people in wrong way. (Numbers 25:1, 2) He gave evil counsel to make the God’s children unholy. God doesn’t like this. David was distressed, because God wanted to turn David back to him. And David looked unto God, and he received back everything that he lost.
In Proverbs 1:24-27 we read, when we do not hear God’s voice, and reject his counsel and hate his reproof, we fell into distress.
Neglecting God is the reason for distress.
The Israelites were distressed. They were distressed because they left God and worshipped Baal. Instead of depending on God, they left God did evil in the sight of God. (Judges 2:11-15). So the hand of God was against them. And they were extremely distressed.
Saul was distressed. Because of the disobedience the evil spirit entered him and he was distressed. Neither did he take heed to the words of the servant of God. Saul was distressed so that he can seek God, but instead, he went to the sorcerers. As Saul did not seek God, God became his enemy. 1 Samuel 28:15-18)
Manasseh was a wicked king. When Manasseh was distressed, he pleaded before God. He humbled himself. So God delivered him from his distress. And Manasseh understood that the Lord is God. 2 Chronicles 22:12, 13)
Prophet Jonah was distressed. He was in distress lying in the belly of the fish for three days. He did not want his pride and self to be hurt. Jonah wanted Nineveh to be destroyed. But God’s will was something else. Jonah was distressed so that the will of God might be fulfilled. (Jonah 2:2)
It is a blessed thing that problems and distresses come in our lives for God’s sake. Apostle Paul who was distressed for the sake of Christ tells that, “we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed” (2 Corinthians 4:8)
1 Corinthians 4:9-13 says, we are blessed if we are distressed for the sake of Christ, for the ministry and for the blessing of others.
My dear children of God! How is the distress that comes in your life? Let us turn to God like David who was blessed. May the Lord bless us!
