I recently heard the story of a man who came upon a
butterfly in its last stage of development. The butterfly was in the process of
emerging from its cocoon, but was caught in a “struggle.” The man upon leaving
and returning several times feared the butterfly would never loose itself, and
took it upon himself to assist the butterfly. The man widened the opening to
the cocoon, thereby making it easier for the butterfly to emerge.
But, as a result of this assistance, the body of the
butterfly was grossly engorged, and the wings underdeveloped. The man failed to
realize that it was in the “struggle” of the butterfly’s emergence from the
cocoon that the excess water would be pushed from the body to that of the
wings-thereby making the body slimmer and the wings fuller. You see, the “struggle”
is always for a purpose because of what it's trying to produce. The life of King David is one full of such “struggle”
and the necessity for it.
David was Israel’s unlikely champion-slaying Goliath
while just a youth. Prior to slaying Goliath, David had been invited to live in
King Saul’s home as it was the anointed music of David that eased the King’s
distress. 1 Samuel 16: 21 states, “then David came to Saul and attended him,
and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer."
Yet eventually, Saul came to despise David because of
the people’s praise for him. “The women sang as they played, and said, Saul has
slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. Then Saul became very angry,
for this saying displeased him.” (1 Samuel 18:7-8) How could David not be
adored by the people? Not only was he a warrior, but he was also described as
being wise, handsome and a skilled musician, he was the total package!
Saul’s hatred forced David to go on the run, and after
hiding in neighboring cities David found himself in the cave of Adullam. There
was drawn to him a company of people who were in distress, debt, and
discontented and he became captain over them. (1 Samuel 22:1-2) Although David
had been anointed King of Israel long before slaying Goliath, it was in a cast
out state and among the outcasts that he learned how to lead. It wasn’t out in
the public for all to see, but in the caves, during a time of “struggle"
that he took a company of men and became a true King.
The “struggle” also released David from the approval
of man. It would have been easy for David to fall victim to the praises of
others. David found himself in a comfortable spot. He went from the pastures of
tending sheep to the King’s palace, to becoming Israel’s champion. And it was after
all of this that he was forced into exile.
In this exiled state David had to trust in God
completely. He had to learn how to seek God for provision, His will and depend
on Him for safety. As long as Saul was alive, David was a man marked for death.
Ultimately, the “struggle” helped to develop within David a heart for the people.
This is why David is called a man after God’s own heart, because God’s heart is
always for the least of these.(Acts 13:22) David was given a company of people who faced
one misfortune after another, who looked to him for guidance.
Sure David had some moral failings, we all do. But
bigger than these moral failings was the fact that God purposed from the
beginning of time that David would be Israel’s favored King, and the lineage
through which Christ would be born.
Key things to remember:
#the struggle is bigger than you
#the struggle always produces
something
# the struggle is not without cause
#the struggle doesn’t last forever
#the struggle is necessary
If you find yourself in the “struggle,” ask Holy Spirit
what is being produced in you. Without the “struggle” of pressure the diamond could never be formed. Without the “struggle” of fire, the
pure essence of gold would remain unseen. Without the “struggle”
of freedom, the butterfly never takes flight.
