2 Samuel 15: Difficult Days
STRESS HAS BECOME a part of our Western culture. We are all familiar with it, and it affects us all in our own way. Some can't eat, some get grumpy, some sleep. Me, well, I stay awake at night. My mind and heart cannot stop thinking about the issue at hand. My body is zonked, but my head keeps going a mile a minute.
One night a few years ago, while wrestling with a sudden case of insomnia brought on by balancing the family checkbook, I was struck by how void my worry was of thoughts of God. I had considered every option a thousand times in my head, but I hadn't prayed. I had not stopped to consider God's character or the promises of his Word. That night I learned that my lack of sleep is directly linked to my lack of faith. I still occasionally find myself unable to sleep, but I now have an option that brings my heart rest. I remember God, and I give it to him.
Warming Up to God
What are you feeling worried about right now? How has God been part of your process of working through your stress?
Read 2 Samuel 15. »
Discovering the Word
- What is Absalom's strategy against David (vv. 1-12)?
- Identify Absalom's unethical behavior. What does it tell us about him?
- What does David do in defense against Absalom's attack?
- Why does David tell Ittai to go back at first (vv. 19-20)?
- What does the devotion of the people tell you about David (vv. 16, 21, 23, 30)?
- In what ways does David demonstrate and act on his faith and trust in God?
Applying the Word
- In 2 Samuel we learn that David took some steps in his own defense; yet he also looked to God for a sign of favor.
- What truth or truths about God might help you respond to stressful situations with rest and peace?
Responding in Prayer
Spend some time praying through the issues that are troubling you.
For Further Study
Sabbath Keeping by Lynne M. Baab