HOW TO OVERCOME A REVERSAL OF FORTUNE (PART 2 OF 2)

17^th FEBRUARY 2020

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and God” – Psalm 42:5

Scripture says David was a man after God’s own heart. This could mean that God loves David so much. Notwithstanding God’s love for him, David suffered tremendously, apparently because he tried to betray his people by attempting to give them up to the philistines.  But God forgave David after a while, and he also recovered all that he lost. What did David do, and how was he able to overcome his crisis in a short time?

In today’s devotional, we shall discuss some of the things that David did to enable him to come out of his travails.

 David did the following:

·          David INQUIRED of the Lord. He wanted to know the way forward for him.  Ask God why you are experiencing difficulties or so ill? Sometimes, we lose opportunities or create a very bad condition for ourselves due to wrong choices or bad attitudes generally on our part. Therefore, you may need to change or mend your ways!

·         David lived thereafter in obedience to God after he lost everything. David also encouraged himself in the LORD….” He found strength in the Lord. Sometimes, we lose what we already have, not only due to our reckless disobedience to God’s commandments but also due to deliberate attitude of disregard to laid down rules and laws, either of our country, communities or even rules guiding our workplace. You, therefore, have to mend your ways. The truth is that God would not support your lawlessness against constituted authorities. Therefore, your obedience to the regular laws of your country, communities or your workplace is a key factor to your success in life.

·         David did not blame anyone for his travails. Therefore, you must do likewise. When you blame others for your woes, you lose alignment with divine blessings as well as the solution to your problems. Do not focus on what you perceived anyone has done to cause you problems. Also, NEVER focus on anyone as the cause of your problems! Most of the people we think are the causes of our problems are far from causing us any harm. Focus on God instead, and His power to redeem and to restore. In God, you will find strength, healing, and restoration.

·      David did not exert revenge on anyone. Therefore, do not seek revenge even if you are sure of who had caused your losses. Vengeance is of the Lord, let God do as He pleases in the circumstances. The fact remains that those who inflict vengeance are never truly satisfied; their pains usually do not heal. This is partly due to the fact that the vengeance they inflict on others usually bounces back at them. Verily I tell you this day that anyone who inflicts vengeance will lose something commensurate to the level of injuries inflicted on others in the process of exerting vengeance. LEAVE VENGEANCE TO THE LORD.

When a crisis happens in your life, take a little time to collect your thoughts. Remind yourself of the Lord’s faithfulness. Encourage yourself in the Lord; ask God to reveal to you what lessons there are to learn from the bad events that happened to you. And then ASK God what to do next! Ask for His wisdom and His consolation. Don’t assume you know what needs to be done next – you might be wrong in your assessments. The good news is that David recovered everything that was taken away from him, especially his two wives and children. Now it’s your turn to experience the hand of God in your life. What has the devil stolen from you that needs to be recovered? Or better still, in what way have you misused the opportunities that God created for you? Are there family members in bondage that need to be set free? Are there financial breakthroughs that need to happen? Is the devil trying to rob you of your health, promotion or of relationships? Look up to Jesus, and take the steps that David took during his travails.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ rescue me from the hands of demons and give me the power and grace to experience a way forward in my life. AMEN.

FURTHER READING: John 10:10).