The Cave

For the last few weeks at my church, we've been studying about the Stronghold of God. It's an amazing place that I didn't even realize I've been in so many times in my life. All those times when people look at me and have no clue what's going on behind my smile. That's the Stronghold of God. And I don't mean those times where I'm just strong and not falling to sorrow and I can hide it with a smile. I mean those times where I truly may be going through, but I have so much peace in me that I'm smiling because God has me. That's a stronghold of God. God became my cave when my world was upside down. Sometimes I didn't realize that's what I did, but many times I knew I was running to Him.


The other day I talked about David when he was on the run from King Saul. How he got his Bread of Presence (grace) and was able to obtain the same sword that David cut Goliath's head off with (grace).  As I continued reading into the next chapter (1 Samuel 22) I see so much. I wonder if you can see it too.


Just like you, David had a support system.

1 Samuel 22:1 NLT

So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there.

Somehow whenever I felt like things were getting out of control in my life and I could not make heads or tails of anything, I could run to God. My stronghold. For David it was the cave of Adullam. Many times I'd find that I had true family that would follow me. Not just to be with me, but to support me. How many times have you tried to get away and found that there are certain people that seem to stick my your side to support you. Sometimes you don't even realize that in all your stress you pushed them away when all they were doing was trying to support you or help you. I know I'm not the only one that has done that.

1 Samuel 22:2 NLT

Then others began coming - men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented - until David was the captain of about 400 men.

I've heard it said for many years, Misery Loves Company. It's such a true statement. But when I've heard it, I've always heard it in a situation where a "miserable" person is turning someone who is NOT miserable, into misery. Usually it's someone who is unhappy, so they manage to make everyone else's lives unhappy. But this is different for David. He was not happy. Maybe he was afraid. And all those feelings left him on a journey to run "away" until he made it to this cave. His Stronghold. Then his family joined him to support him.  But then something else happened. Other men who were in their own states of misery managed to join him in this cave. And it clearly states that these men were in trouble and they were some that were just not happy in their life and even some who were in debt. Man, them debt collectors are the truth aren't they. Enough to make you run away! LOL! Ok, back to what I was saying. LOL! But the thing is, in the word it said David was the CAPTAIN of about 400 men. To me, this was the beginning of David's training in leadership, because remember, God told him that he was to become King. How could he become a King without some training in leadership?

The experiences we go through in life, that sometimes lead us to our own cave of Adullam, our Strongholds, sometimes are just our own mess. But sometimes they are predestined by God to put us in a position to be able to receive a certain training (sometimes through experience) that will become the foundation of what God has promised you. Who is to say that God did not predestinate Saul wanting to kill David so that David would run away and find himself in the perfect place to learn how to lead?? Don't despise the process God takes you through in order to get the results needed. Don't despise the people that God has to use in order to push you into your place of destiny. Every person, every situation is necessary. And if it wasn't necessary GOD CAN AND WILL use it to your benefit. Nothing is ever wasted in your journey.


The question now is, will you be just one of those discontented people? Or will you rise up like David and accept the opportunity to learn whatever it is that God is looking for you to learn in those hard experiences. Can you learn to be able to trust God in the process? If you say yes, just be sure to be a God Chaser completely, otherwise, you may mistakenly trust your own logical judgment for God's direction. If it don't make no sense, that's probably God.

When you get to your Cave/Stronghold, what will you do there? Will you go with what God gives you there? Even if it makes no sense?

I love you all. Be Blessed Today!