In first Samuel chapter twenty-seven verse one David says, "...I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand."

Seeing how relentless Saul had pursued David, one would almost have to agree with this decision he had made. David had barely escaped Saul’s hand on several occasions. It looked as if David would one day fall at the hand of Saul. David reasoned that if he could find a place to abide among the enemies of Israel, Saul would no longer pursue him and David would be safe. That was his own fleshly reasoning. But, God told David to go into the land of Judah and as far as we can tell the Lord never gave David instruction to leave and go into the land of the Philistines. David had not asked the Lord for direction. He took matters into his own hands and made a decision based upon his own wisdom. He was leaning upon an arm of flesh and not upon the arm of the Lord. He leaned upon his own understanding and was not trusting the Lord to deliver him from the evil designs of Saul. David had his eyes fixed upon the circumstances that surrounded him and was fretting. David had taken his eyes off of the Lord.

Going over to the enemies of Israel, even the enemies of God, was not the solution to David’s problems with Saul. David needed to seek the Lord’s guidance. He needed the best help he could ever hope to get, the Lord God of heaven. The psalmist wrote in Psa. 46:1 that God is a "very present help in trouble." The meaning is that God is always near us, He has promised to never leave nor forsake us (Heb 13:5). God is available to help anytime we ask Him. The writer of Hebrews said "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16). It is the Lord that can do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think (Eph 3:20).

Instead of seeking the best help he could ever get, he sought the counsel of his own heart. He leaned upon his own understanding. Jeremiah writes, "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited" (Jer 17:5,6). David was leaning upon his own arm, he was trusting the counsel of his own heart. Note what the prophet Jeremiah later writes about the heart of man,"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer 17:9). The wise man Solomon writes, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov 16:25). David greatly erred when he sought the counsel of his own heart. His unbelief was leading him down the wrong road. It was about to bring disaster and certainly had already brought him despair.

As a result of his trusting the counsel of his own heart, David had experienced the difficulties of being joined together with unbelievers and finally having his family and the families of his men captive by the Amalekites. At this point his men, who had been so devoted to him, spake of stoning him (1 Sam 30:6). David was feeling the pressure of the hand of the Lord upon him. The options David had were to run for his life, seek the counsel of men, or confess his sins before God and repent. David, I believe, did repent this day before God. I believe that God blessed him with forgiveness and David encouraged himself again in what the Lord could do. He remembered what the Lord had already done for him. God had delivered the giant and many other Philistines into his hands. He, by God’s grace, had escaped the hand of Saul. God was good to him and David had every reason to believe that He would continue to be good to him. After David had acknowledged his sin before the Lord and encouraged himself, David sought counsel of the Lord about whether or not to pursue the Amalekites. God responded to his inquiry, said pursue, and assured him of complete success. David was already experiencing relief from his despair. He now had hope of recovering what was lost. He was now restored to communion with God. God had lifted His heavy hand from David.

Let us realize that unbelief, the sin that so easily besets us, will bring about despair and misery. The child of God is called to a life of faith. We are to forsake all and follow Him. Sometimes the path is difficult. Sometimes we have sore trials in our lives, health problems, unemployment, marriage problems, discipline problems with our children etc. But our God is still on His throne, He is still in control of all things. He is still our help in times of trouble. Let us not despair of life. Let us not wallow around in self pity. Let us fix our eyes upon our Father and come into His presence repenting and confessing our sins and enjoy restored communion with Him. Let us look at the abilities of our heavenly Father and not at the circumstances that surround us. God is larger than any problem we have and He is the solution to ALL of them. Praise the Lord!!