Have you ever critiqued someone when you felt they were not basking in the very blessings you crave for yourself? I mean, you know if you had the same cushy life, you would be overjoyed. The old adage is true though, everyone is fighting their own battle.
- That rich lady down the road may have all of her finances covered for life, but her son is a meth addict.
- That handsome politician has a family and good kids, but they have all endured vitriol and lies, to the point their kids are no longer safe at school.
- That couple travels the world jet-setting all over and staying in fancy hotels, but they are barren.
It is true that everyone is fighting their own battle, it’s just that some are more obvious. Ultimately, far greater consequences await if the battle for your heart is defeated though.
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David’s battles
David fought literal and figurative battles alike. Growing up, most people hear two main stories about David.
- He fought Goliath.
- He was unfaithful with Bathsheba.
But wait, there’s more.
There is a whole host of ‘life’ intermixed in 2 Samuel that alludes to David’s life as a whole. While it can be easy to forget the rest of his life, he faced many challenges. Not to say, of course, that his life was always tumultuous, but there is a thread running through it leading him closer to God through it all. Sometimes we view people through rose-colored glasses, choosing to see only the good so we can retain our envious spirit rather than taking off the glasses to correctly identify the heart of the matter.
Breaking some of his life down:
- David fought battles in war;
- had his life threatened by a king… multiple times;
- ran away to spare his life;
- had all his own men want to kill him at one point;
- became king eventually only to have 10 Israelite tribes split off to follow a different king;
- he followed his passions, broke some commandments, had a man murdered, and lost a son because of it;
- his kids had controversies (Amnon slept with his half-sister and defiled her for life);
- a different son, Absalom, murdered Amnon, his half-brother, after plotting revenge for the attack on his sister;
- then Absalom orchestrated a coup to take over as king after David thoughtfully brought him back home;
- David fled again for his life and spared the city from attack;
- he was ridiculed, mocked, and thrown stones at while fleeing;
- his commander was good but did everything to retain his position (including killing men without just cause–as well as Absalom and not telling David);
- continual bouts of rebellion from Benjamin (tribe of King Saul)… alluding to their perception that Kingship should remain with Benjamite men;
- Sheba (tribe of Benjamin again) decided that seceding was in the best interest of Israel and led the split; and
- had another son usurp control and name himself king only to have David correct the succession by establishing Solomon instead.
Are those all his trials? No. But they give us a pretty good indication of his life.
The bigger picture…
He was only the second anointed king in Israel. Israel begged God to have a king, yet refused to fully accept those God anointed. Even two kings in, and there were multiple coups, takeovers, deception, and familial troubles. Not exactly a smooth road, and not one that would stay smooth.
On the outset, if you look at David’s life, you might see a brave young boy who turns into a rich and powerful king. What a fortunate guy!
It is that mindset that shoves out the realities of trials he endured and we fail to see David as a person who had struggles. His life was threatened, his family life was wrought with upsets, and he continuously incurred hatred just for holding the position of king.
The Bible is full of these stories, teaching us to see the person behind the story and how that person, in spite of sins or trials, was either led closer to God or further away. We may relegate this thinking only really to Job, as though he was the only one who truly endured trials and came out stronger. Yet, look at all the women who were barren, the leaders who pleaded with God to spare an unholy people, the men who were unfaithful, etc.
The Bible shows us real people with real problems. It shows us their lives. Did David live a picture perfect life? No. Were some of his trials the consequences of his own sins? Yes.
He serves as a great example to us. We may not see the battles or we may choose to not read between the lines to see what’s happening behind the outward persona. It is easier to remain closed off to the reality that everyone is fighting their own battle.
Leading to or from…
One thing that is most impressive about David can be learned through reading Psalms. There are 73 penned by him as author and 2 that are referenced as his in the New Testament.
PENNED: Psalm 3-9; 11-32; 34-41; 51-65; 68-70; 86; 101; 103; 108-110; 122; 124; 131; 133; and 138-145.
Another common phrase typically heard as Christians is that God won’t give us more than we can handle.
Let’s journey back to David’s trials (or look at Job’s). He was the most wanted man dead multiple times with zero hope (other than God). His life was not just full of cupcakes and rainbows but of deep discouragement and depressing events. Even Moses pleaded with God at one point to take his life as it was more than he could bear.
The Psalms David wrote can teach us how to pray, to see and seek God in spite of life’s circumstances, even when life is throwing more at us than we feel we can handle.
Your chart…
Our own trials can effect the same outcome, we can come to God with them while appropriately recognizing our feelings for the situation are distressing but relying on Him for help. They can teach us to seek God and lean on Him.
Your life may be full of ups and downs, but as you’re traveling on that course, picture your life as a chart. Are the ups and downs of your life experiences in a higher position on the chart as your heart becomes more aligned with Christ, or is your chart trending downward and leading you away from God?
Everyone is fighting their own battle…
While the outer version you see of people may naturally incite a jealousy for things you desire, take the time to see the person behind the curtain. Choose to look with compassion on those who may have what you want, but who have other struggles you might not ever see or know about. Everyone is fighting their own battle, and ultimately it is a battle for their heart.
We would be foolish to assume the end goal with life is not our hearts. So true, also, with the lives of those around us. When we choose to see people as humans with struggles, we are choosing compassion. With a compassionate lens, our vision can morph into a Heavenly view where desiring a person’s heart to be aligned with God will supercede any jealousy you may experience.
If you are not there yet, take your heart into account. Are you turning to God for fulfillment or the things on earth? Earthly wishes and desires can be tempting, but remain temporary. The eternal ‘things’ (being right with God, eternal life, Heaven, New Earth) will far outweigh any trials or struggles you experience, even those that feel like more than you can bear. The end is worth it though the journey may be troubling. Take heart and take your heart into account as you walk through life. Everyone is fighting their own battle, and so are you.
The battle for your heart.
Last Week
2 Samuel 9 – 15
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