Refresh

“So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.”

2 Samuel 16:13-14 ESV

I admire people who hold to their convictions and stand up for what they believe in, and Shimei was one of those people I think. He seems to be having a hard time letting go of the past though, and accepting David as king. While David is passing through his town, Shimei begins cursing David and throwing rocks. I once had a childhood friend throw a rock at me, and I can say with certainty that it hurts.

The cursing continues and David allows it, stating that the Lord may look on the wrong done to him and repay him with good. I’m not quite sure what my response would be to someone violently calling me out and throwing rocks at me, but I hope and pray it would be similar to David’s. He had incredible faith that God was paying attention and would work it out for his good.

When David and his entourage arrive at Jordan they are completely exhausted, and rightfully so. Mentally worn out and physically sore, they refreshed themselves there. I take two things from this story: first, surround yourself with the right kind of people. The type of people who will stand with you, and try their best to shield you from assaults and attacks of the enemy. People who take a few hits themselves to keep you going.

Second, David could have easily surrendered himself to that attack and believed the lies Shimei hurled at him. Instead, he chose to refresh himself. I’m not quite sure what that looked like, but for us today it could mean taking a few moments to pray honestly about a difficult situation, reading and studying scripture, or reaching out to a trusted friend.

Today, take some time to see who you have allowed in your inner circle. Stand with someone who may be fighting a battle alone. Rest, and seek refreshing from Jesus. Hustle is not honorable, and rest is non-negotiable. Set aside a period of time today that is specifically designated to simply rest.