Learning to Pause

When anger flares, stop to ask for God’s wisdom.

May 23, 2024

1 Samuel 25:20-35

How do you respond when someone mistreats you? Are you quick to judge that person, cataloging all the reasons you didn’t deserve to be treated so unfairly? That was David’s initial response when the fair treatment he expected was denied.

David, while still on the run from Saul, sent men from his army to request provisions from Nabal, a rich man in the area. David felt sure Nabal would look favorably on him and meet the needs of his army. Not only would that have been customary, but David had also earned the favor by protecting Nabal’s flocks. Yet the request, though reasonable, was scornfully rejected.

When we feel spurned, mistreated, or unappreciated, it can cause us to respond in a way that only makes the situation worse. In David’s case, his anger flared and he set out for revenge. But before he and his 400 warriors could make it to their destination, Nabal’s wife Abigail intercepted them, falling on her face to apologize for her husband’s behavior and to reason with David.

In that moment, David had a choice to make. He could either charge right past her, fueled by his own rage and need for justice, or he could pause (James 1:19). God gave him the wisdom to make the better choice. The next time anger erupts in your heart, will you follow David’s example and stop to listen to wisdom?

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