The Worst Day

Oct 19, 2021

"But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."

- King David, 1 Samuel 30:6

"One small crack does not mean that you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn't fall apart."

- Linda Poindexter

In the Old Testament, there's the story of David at Ziglag -- Ziglag represents the worst day of David's life. After a successful military campaign, David returned to his hometown with 600 warriors. As they approached the city they noticed an ominous black cloud rising up from Ziglag -- where all their wives and children and families lived. As they raced towards the gates of the city, they were horrified to discover that the entire city had been burned to the ground - bodies of loved one's lying in the streets… homes destroyed… the children kidnapped and taken away by the Amalekites. It was the worst day of David's life.

Three weeks ago, my 25 year old nephew, Austin, fell backwards off the roof of a six story apartment building in New York City. He landed on a concrete balcony… fracturing his face, breaking his neck, his ribs and sustaining a traumatic injury to his brain. After two emergency brain surgeries, he remained in ICU in serious condition. Just as he was beginning to recover, his girlfriend informed him that she could not handle this and broke up with him. I've known and loved Austin his whole life… this was the worst day of his life.

So if, today, you're experiencing a loss… a tragedy… a personal catastrophe… an unexpected collapse that has turned your world upside down… If, today, your heart resonates with a friend's journal post after the worst day of his life...

"Pain again. Or should I say still. I haven't slept through a whole night for almost 9 weeks… I'm weary of it! Every inch of me wants a break. I feel like a butterfly that is still alive, but whose wings are pinned, wiggling, to a board. Aspirin, pain pills, prayer. More prayer, more aspirin, more pain pills. Sometimes nothing seems to work. I feel like I've got a splitting headache all over my body… Who knows," Tim said, "Maybe I'm pregnant."

So what do you do on the worst day of your life… after your marriage fails… after your business collapses… after your cancer returns… after the funeral is over? What do you do on the worst day of your life? David did three things.

First… David wept. 1 Samuel 30:4 says,

So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.

They stood in the ruins and the rubble of their families and their homes - these men who had faced death and adversity many times over - and they cried. Have you ever cried like that? Wept until there were no more tears left inside you? Cried until your body had no more energy to weep? When tragedy hits your life… when life shakes you to the core… it's time to weep! Abraham cried when his wife Sarah died. The Bible says Abraham wept at her gravesite. Hezekiah cried when they brought him word his life was going to be shortened. The apostle Paul said that he served the Lord with many tears… and Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus. David wept on the worst day of his life.

Second… David strengthened himself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6). This is a great secret of spiritual recovery. When every other resource is gone… when every other prop has been kicked out from underneath you… when you have nowhere else to turn… when David hit bottom… he looked up and cried out to the Lord God of heaven and earth:

With my voice I cry to the LORD;

with my voice I plead for God's mercy.

I pour out my complaint before Him;

I tell Him all my troubles."

- Psalm 142:1-2

Listen… are you able to complain… TO the Lord? God cannot only handle your complaint… He encourages you to lay your complaint before Him! Don't suffer the pain alone!

Ever give God the "silent treatment?" It probably worked as well as it did with my Dad. One time I got mad at my Dad, and so I decided not to speak to him for a week. Later, my dad said, "It was the most peaceful week he had had in a long time." (Smile) As David laid his complaint before the Lord he discovered,

You are my place of refuge...my safe place...

You are all I really want in life."

- Psalm 142:5

When you come to know, in the marrow of your bones, that you are loved and valued by God… on the worst day of your life… you find yourself gripped by a hope that's stronger than the pain.

David strengthened himself on the worst day of his life.

Third… David took action. 1 Samuel 30:7-8 says,

Then David said to Abiathar the priest...'Bring me the Ephod.'...so I can inquire of the LORD.'

The ephod was a sacred vestment the High Priest would use to discern God's will. David wants to know what God wants him to do next… and God says, "Pursue the attackers and rescue the children." Taking action is powerful.

Grief needs to have its day… but then there will come a time to act.

The good news is that God has made us in a way that taking one single step of action can be extremely powerful in robbing disaster of its paralyzing power. On the worst day of his life, David acted… he and his warriors pursued the attackers, and they rescued all the children. The tragedy happened… but the children… their hope for tomorrow… they were saved… and David became a king "after God's own heart."

Sooner or later everyone logs some time on the worst day of their life. So, when your time comes… remember three things:

- Remember to weep! Life will break our hearts.

- Remember to strengthen yourself in the Lord. Pour out your complaint to Him. You are not alone in your pain. He is with you.

- Remember to act! Phone a friend. Read a book. Go to a movie. Walk on the beach. Listen to worship music. Feed the homeless.