Psalm 55:12–13: “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; / Then I could bear it. / Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; / Then I could hide from him. / But it was you, a man my equal, / My companion and my acquaintance.”

March 1st, 2024 by Pastor Ed in devotional

David poured out his heart to his Lord because a close friend, Ahithophel, betrayed him. Ahithophel had been David’s close personal friend and counselor, but Ahithophel turned against him. If it had been a known enemy, then that would have been expected and David could have handled it. But when trouble came from this unexpected, close person, he was caught off guard and it broke his heart. David was thinking of running away from his problems or maybe just hiding his head in the sand until all these things passed by. We will be tempted to do the same, but running away never makes the problem any easier, nor does it ever truly solve a problem. The only lasting solution is to face our problems in the strength of the Lord.

We can learn a lesson from the tough sisal twine that comes from Yucatan, Mexico. The sisal plant is native to the hard, stony soil in that area. Some enterprising Americans visited the area and decided there might be good money to be made by growing the plant in richer soil, under better conditions. So they started a sisal plantation in Florida, where the plant no longer found life a struggle for survival and grew to enormous size. The business promised tremendous returns. But when reaping time came, the leaf that the vital fiber for the twine comes from simply collapsed into a soft pulp. The tough fiber quality was missing. They learned the hard way that the sisal plant acquired its toughness through its battle with the adverse circumstances of wind, heat, and barren soil. God often doesn’t bail His people out when they are hit with blasts of adversity. In His mercy and wisdom, He knows just what is necessary to help their spiritual character grow to become strong and resilient.

“LORD, please strengthen us this day.”