David Encouraged Himself in the Lord
“But David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” — 1 Samuel 30:6 (KJV)
There are times in life when we make decisions that seem right at the time, only to discover later that they have brought us trouble. David knew what that was like.
David had been living among the Philistines and was prepared to go with them into battle. However, the Philistine commanders did not trust him and would not allow him to fight against his own people. David and his men therefore returned to Ziklag, the place where they had been staying.
When they arrived, they were met with a terrible sight.
While they had been away, the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag. The city had been burned, their possessions were gone, and their wives and children had been taken captive.
David had lost almost everything.
To make matters worse, his own men were so overcome with grief that they spoke of stoning him. David was distressed, surrounded by destruction and facing the anger of the very men who had followed him.
Yet the Bible gives us these wonderful words:
“But David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” — 1 Samuel 30:6
Have You Ever Made an Unwise Decision?
I have.
Some years ago, my wife needed to be closer to town while recovering, and transport where we lived was difficult. There could be several hours between buses, and reaching another bus meant walking along a dangerous country road.
I was also helping to care for my wife’s brother, who had difficulties with transportation at that time. Like many families, we were trying to make ends meet and make the best decision we could.
We decided to put our house on the market. Later, I had what seemed like a bright idea: advertising it in a free newspaper.
A young man contacted us and said he was involved in property rentals. Renting our house seemed as though it might solve several of our problems.
But when I read the contract, I wasn’t happy with it.
I sent a recorded-delivery letter saying that we wanted to cancel within the allowed period. However, the man telephoned and told us that he had already found somebody to rent the property. I raised my concerns about the contract, and he told me that he would change it.
Those changes never happened.
We became caught up in everything that was happening, and because the arrangement seemed to make renting a flat affordable for us, we went ahead.
For about four months things appeared to work.
Then everything began to go wrong.
The tenants decided that they could no longer afford the property and wanted out of their agreement. There were periods when we received no rent because various repairs supposedly had to be carried out. We were also prevented from speaking directly with the tenants or properly checking some of the work for which we were being charged.
The situation brought enormous worry and expense.
Eventually, when we returned to our home, we discovered that it had been badly damaged. I had to borrow around £20,000 to repair the property and correct other work that had been done.
That is the shorter version of the story.
When Everything Goes Wrong
I sometimes think about David standing before the ruins of Ziklag.
His home was gone. His family was gone. His possessions were gone. His friends had turned against him.
What could David do?
He could blame everyone else.
He could give up.
He could sit among the ashes and say, “There is no hope.”
But David did something different.
He encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
David remembered that although circumstances had changed, God had not changed.
Then David sought the Lord and asked whether he should pursue those who had taken their families.
God answered:
“Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” — 1 Samuel 30:8 (KJV)
David obeyed.
And God gave him the victory.
The Bible tells us:
“And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away.” — 1 Samuel 30:18 (KJV)
Encourage Yourself in the Lord
Perhaps today you are looking at your own Ziklag.
Something has gone wrong. Perhaps you made a decision you now regret. Maybe somebody has disappointed you, circumstances have changed, or something you worked hard for appears to have been lost.
Do not allow yesterday’s mistake to destroy tomorrow’s faith.
David’s greatest moment at Ziklag was not when he recovered his possessions.
It was the moment when, with almost nothing left around him, he still had enough faith to turn to God.
Sometimes we do not appreciate what God has given us until we have nearly lost it. And sometimes, after passing through the trial, we discover just how faithful the Lord has been.
When everyone else has walked away, encourage yourself in the Lord.
When you cannot see the answer, encourage yourself in the Lord.
When you regret a decision, encourage yourself in the Lord.
When it looks as though everything has been lost, encourage yourself in the Lord.
For the God who was with David at Ziklag is still the God who hears His people today.
You may have lost the battle yesterday, but do not lose your faith today. Seek the Lord, trust His direction, and keep walking with Him.
For Georges Web Ministries
10th September 2026
God is a good God
God Knows , God Loves. God cares
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