"But Tomlinson, why are you taking it out on David? He's in the same boat as we are. They raided his home, too. He lost everything, too. Yes, they kidnapped his wife and children, too. We're not the only ones. We're all in this together."

"I don't care. If he had been a better leader and had he covered all the bases and had he thought about how unprotected our village was and had he never gotten involved with Achish, and well, had he gotten direction from his God we wouldn't be in this horrible mess. He's all to blame and he's got to pay for it. He's not getting off with this. He's finished as our leader. I've got a petition going around. If we gather enough names, he's toast. We're going to stone him to death."

I’m not sure about the petition, but they spread the word around, and before long, the whisper campaign grew into a threatened brutal stoning of David. David had been the very one who had shown an interest in this group of men, who had previously been going nowhere fast. Until they met David, they were losers. Discontented, over their heads in debt and social wrecks. David was changing their lives; and the reality was — their future with him as their king would be bright.

But when they hit a bump in their journey – when the clouds of crisis swirled around them, they turned against David, blaming him for all their troubles.

Are you blaming others for the condition you are in? Are you pointing fingers at others for your spiritual condition, and where you are just now on the road home to Heaven? Have you hit a bump – perhaps a huge bump? And how are you handling it? Are you pointing accusatory fingers? What are you cooking on the stove? Are you boiling bitterness?

There is only one letter in the difference between BITTER and BETTER. It is the difference between simply an ‘I’ and an ‘E’ – just a different vowel. But what a difference that one vowel makes in the outcome of a crisis! Which are you becoming in this difficult time?  Bitter or better?

The spiritual person who turns to the Lord in a crisis and submits to His will and seeks to learn from the trials becomes ‘better’ – not ‘bitter.’

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later (or, afterwards) it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

Remember, dear Child of God, there is always an afterward.

David lost his house and all his belongings as well. David’s wife and children were kidnapped, too. And if that wasn’t bad enough, his trial was compounded by his own men turning against him. How did he handle it?

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30:6

It sounds very intentional on David’s part, doesn’t it? “But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

The true test of spirituality is our behaviour in difficult times. Packing my bags and leaving is one option. Staying so I can be a thorn in their side is a variation of the same negative option. Or getting alone with the Lord your God to be strengthened by HIM to strengthen others is another option. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God — not in his circumstances. That’s the option David chose.

It’s one thing to know the right option, but that doesn’t mean making the right choice will be easy. Often, it is excruciatingly painful and emotionally draining. You are not ‘imagining’ a situation. It is very real, hurtful, and disturbing. To merely dismiss the circumstances and move on is not a healthy option. The only way you can move on is to strengthen yourself in the Lord your God.

Difficult times in our lives are not the end. There is always an ‘afterward.’ If we bring the Lord into our darkness, light will eventually shine through. Consider the truth of James 1:2-4 and Romans 5:3-5. There are two options in a crisis: we can grow bEtter or bItter. Which option is the healthiest and happiest in the long run and in light of eternity? Which option honours your God the most?

Which option am I pursuing? What track have I been on?