Thursday, June 20, 2024

Has there been a time when you felt so fed up that you took matters into your own hands?

There have been a few occasions when I struggled with what seemed like God’s “silence” during painful situations and injustice. Absalom’s story teaches us the importance of trusting and remaining loyal to the One who is in control, even when things do not make sense.

In 2 Samuel 13, we read about how Absalom’s brother Amnon raped his sister, Tamar. Absalom was devastated by this situation. He was deeply troubled that his father, King David, remained silent and did not punish Amnon. King David was very grieved by Amnon’s sin against Tamar, but he still loved his son Amnon deeply, just as he loved Absalom. However, Absalom did not understand David’s silence and struggled with watching his brother go unpunished for this injustice. Absalom’s resentment comes to a boiling point when he takes matters into his own hands and arranges Amnon’s death.

Instead of trusting his father’s—and God’s—wisdom, he was blinded by hurt and a sense of injustice, and it resulted in a huge rebellion against not only his father but also God. Even after Amnon’s death, Absalom tried (and failed) to overthrow his own father as king. Absalom allowed his grievances to burrow so deep inside of his heart that his goal turned from avenging his sister’s honor to rebelling against authority—earthly and heavenly—to get what he thought was just.

1 Samuel 15:23 NIV
“For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

Many of us have felt like Absalom at some point. Maybe we did not understand God’s answers to certain situations, or maybe we allowed deep-seated hurts to turn into resentment and rebellion. However, let’s remember that God gave us a Savior who gives us peace even when things do not make sense. Ultimately, we can rest knowing that Christ unites us and will eventually bring healing to our suffering, and peace to our confusion. Even when things seem silent, we can be hopeful that he is working everything out for our good according to his will.

Don’t rebel against authority, choose loyalty.

Questions:
How can we surrender to God’s authority in difficult circumstances?

Why do you think King David was silent during Absalom’s situation?

Next Steps:
Join a Group for the Summer Semester to connect with a like-minded group of Christ followers who can support you during difficult seasons.

Write down something that you have been struggling to fully surrender to God’s authority, and give it up to him in prayer.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for being a just and merciful God. Remind me to keep focused on your authority and to remain loyal to you even in seemingly hopeless situations. Help me to surrender my own plans to you, and remind me to trust in your plan, even when things do not make sense. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Psalm 37:3-4
³ Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. ⁴ Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

This post was written by Isabelle Billnitzer, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.