Stay Focused On God’s Will
Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then people could bring their problems to me, and I would give them justice!”
-- 2 Samuel 15:3-4
Absalom had already killed his brother. King David forgave his son and allowed him to return home. But Absalom just couldn’t let go of his bitterness and anger at his father. So Absalom decided to turn the people away from David and gain support for his plan to take the throne away from him.
Absalom couldn’t see beyond his own selfish desires and his father couldn’t or wouldn’t get his son under control. It was a bad situation that could only end with Absalom’s death. David was God’s anointed. Absalom was going to get rid of him.
Maybe David couldn’t have changed the outcome. Some people are determined to have what someone else has. Some people are determined to blame others for their own issues.
Years ago I worked for a marketing company. I traveled quite a bit but I wasn’t in charge. I liked it that way. I’d burned out in a high-pressured position at another company and I just wanted and needed a breather. I was pretty clear about that. Still, the company kept giving me more responsibility and pushing me to accept a higher position.
One of my co-workers took that quite personally. She had a Masters degree in film and dreamed of, well, I don’t really know. But something more than what she was. She decided I was a threat to her dream and she did everything she could to turn others against me. It didn’t work. She didn’t fool anyone and only hurt herself. It was just so silly and so sad.
King Jeroboam was very angry with the man of God for speaking against the altar. So he pointed at the man and shouted, “Seize that man!” But instantly the king’s hand became paralyzed in that position, and he couldn’t pull it back.” -- 1 Kings 13:4
Just like with my co-worker, people who try to harm others frequently have the situation turn against them. I’ve learned a lot about trusting God in those times. If God calls you to do something, no one can undermine or threaten you no matter how hard they try. God is in charge. Of course, the opposite is true as well. You will do what God calls you to do, whether you want to or not. You can ask Jonah about that.
So don’t worry about it when someone tries to turn your life upside-down. If you’re doing what God wants you to do, they don’t stand a chance.
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