Devotions for Week 2: David: Finding Peace When We Are Troubled (WATCH HERE)
1 Samuel 16:23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
In 1 Samuel 16 we see Saul tormented by an evil spirit from the Lord. His heart is restless and troubled, yet God provides a remarkable solution. David, the youngest son of Jesse, is brought to Saul to play the harp. As the music flows, Saul experiences relief. The torment is lifted, and peace fills the room. Yet nothing has fundamentally changed in Saul’s relationship with God. The peace is genuine but incomplete. God allows David’s presence to restrain the torment, even while Saul remains unaware of the true source of his calm. The Spirit of the Lord is not yet fully at work in Saul’s heart, but God still provides relief.
Scripture shows that this pattern is not unique to Saul. In Judges 8, we read that Midian was subdued and the land enjoyed peace for forty years during Gideon’s lifetime. The people experienced calm and security, yet this peace was temporary. Their hearts would drift later, and they would again turn from God. God often grants seasons of relief and stability not as a reward, but as a gracious gift. Jesus reminds us of the same principle in Matthew 6. “Do not worry about tomorrow,” He says. “Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Daily peace is a gift, not a guarantee earned by understanding or merit. God meets us in ways we sometimes do not recognize.
Many of us have experienced something similar. Peace can come in unexpected forms. Music, a quiet walk in nature, or the rhythm of a daily routine can calm our spirits without our even noticing God behind the moment. Like enjoying warmth without acknowledging the sun, we receive a real benefit even when the source is overlooked. Saul felt relief, and the nation under Gideon enjoyed calm, yet neither fully recognized the hand of God granting it.
This temporary peace is an invitation. It points us to a greater reality. God often meets us with relief before we are ready to name Him as the giver. The question is whether we will stop at relief, enjoying the moment as an isolated blessing, or allow it to draw us deeper into a relationship with Him. When God grants calm, He invites our hearts to see beyond the moment, to recognize His presence and trust Him more fully. Peace is a signpost, not the destination. It points to the ultimate source, the one who alone can satisfy the restless heart.
Reflect: Where have you felt calm, security, or relief even when you did not recognize God’s role? How might He be drawing you deeper through those experiences, inviting you into trust rather than settling for a fleeting sense of ease? These moments are not accidents. They are glimpses of the God who longs to make His presence known, who offers the quiet assurance that carries us through the next trial, the next uncertainty, the next restless night.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the peace you give even before we understand it. Open my eyes to recognize you as the source of every good gift. Draw me beyond relief into trust, beyond fleeting calm into a deeper awareness of your presence. Help me to follow where you lead, even when the path is not yet clear, and to find rest in the assurance that your Spirit works in my life in ways I may not yet see. Amen.