Who would have blamed Abigail if she had let David kill her “surly and mean” husband? I can imagine how hard life was for her, and now she had her chance to get rid of him. But she didn’t. She quickly loaded donkeys with the finest foods in her home, and she met David on the road before he reached her home. When she encountered him, in humility, she sought forgiveness on behalf of her husband. Then she gave him the supplies he needed, and she pleaded with him to avoid bloodshed–not for her sake, nor even for Nabal, but to keep David’s conscience and reputation spotless.

This woman of faith trusted God and did what was right–and God honored her for her faith. While this story should not be taken out of context to argue that a woman should stay in an abusive situation, Abigail’s faith and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit serve as an example for us to follow.

• Will I take God at his Word and choose to trust and obey him, even if I don’t understand? 

(or) 

• Will I panic and try to take the situation into my own hands? How do you usually respond? Do you really believe God is there for you? 

There have been a lot of times in my life when I wondered if God really was who He said he was. If God really loved me, in spite of my confusion–my struggle with trusting Him. When my dad was diagnosed with advanced stage cancer, I didn’t know what to do. Tim and I really wrestled with holding onto faith, but still accepting the fact that Dad might not make it. At first, only one thought consumed my prayers, “God, heal him. I know you can.” But as time went on, and Dad started to go downhill, I began to pray, “Lord, take care of my Daddy.”