“No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD’s anointed one? 1 Samuel 26:9 NLT
After months on the run, hiding in caves and scrounging for food, David had the opportunity to wipe Saul out and end the madness. Saul hated David and vowed to kill him. He had been hunting him down like a madman. David had not wronged Saul, in fact, he served faithfully in his army and had proven to be Saul’s greatest military asset. Saul’s jealousy forced David to flee the comfort of his home, to leave his wife and go into hiding. If that wasn’t enough, Saul had betrothed David’s wife to another man while he was gone. Yet when given the opportunity to kill Saul, David refrained out of respect for God.
When we think about the great attributes of David, of course we think first of his bravery and willingness to face Goliath. Yes, that was his shining moment. Yet, I believe it was his trust in God and his faithfulness while waiting for God’s plan to develop in his life that made him a man after God’s own heart. God had promised David the throne, he had already been anointed king by the prophet Samuel, and from all appearances God had provided him an opportunity to seize the throne sooner than later. But David had an incredible amount of respect for God and he knew that it would be wrong to take matters into his own hands. When God wanted David to be king, He would remove Saul Himself, so David waited patiently. It wasn’t easy and it certainly wasn’t comfortable, but it was the right thing to do.
Success in the Christian life really isn’t defined by the number of giants we slay, but by our faithfulness in the trenches of life. When life is not all that we expected it to be and we struggle to understand God’s plan, yet continue to trust him, it’s then that we shine in the eyes of our Savior. Your shining moment may not be a battle with Goliath, but you have the chance to honor God every time you are treated unfairly and refrain from striking back. You glorify his name when you are in pain, struggling to make it through the day but choose to keep trusting Him. So don’t give up! David did not remain on the run forever; in time, God removed Saul and gave David the throne. He is aware of your situation and when the time is right He will step in and His plan will unfold in your life. Stay strong!