I Samuel 16:14
“Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.”
This is an uncomfortable passage. Like is described in the verse, it sounds terrifying. Initially, it's to be understood that God loves us and wants the best for us. God will not allow our lives to be a horror show. So, what is this about?
Saul was a unique individual, as there was only one of him when he was king. When he was anointed king, I Samuel 10:10 shares this experience, "When they came to the hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them." It was a very dramatic beginning of his role as king. So, when Saul forsook the Lord we see Saul's life without God in very dramatic decline.
One would still wonder why Saul is being tormented. One response is to be careful what we ask for. An example can be seen in Numbers 11. The Israelites were wondering in the wilderness. The Lord provided food for them on a daily basis, manna. However, they grew tired of it and began to complain. Here they had free meals provided for them. All they had to do was to take a walk and pick it up. Really no work was involved, just eat.
The Lord wasn't happy with their complaints about wanting tastier food. David shares what the result was in Psalm 106:15, "And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul." This was to be a lesson to stop complaining. They got sick. These difficult times are meant to drive the selfishness and bad attitudes out of us. They aren't solely punishment, but redemptive.
I'm of the opinion that is what today's verse is all about. Saul had these terrifying experiences. They were meant to push him back to God. The choices he made while king were in disobedience to God. That's what cost him the throne. This wasn't enough to change him. He still was living for himself. I think it's safe to say that if he came back to living for God that these terrifying experiences would go away.
Sometimes the unfortunate things in our lives are due to our own choices. They are also meant to bring us back to God. We can't say for sure why things are happening, but the Lord can work anything out for good, if we go to Him.
In one sense, we could say that these trials could be seen as a blessing if they bring us back to God. In the long view, eternity being the longest, they were helpful. Nebuchadnezzar was a foreign king who made war against Israel and brought many back to Babylon as captives. Yet, in Jeremiah 43:10, God calls him, "my servant". What that's about is that Israel had forsaken God. He used this foreign king to bring them back to Him.
Proverbs 3:11 says, "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction." We aren't to be sour about bad circumstances. We certainly don't have to love them, but we are to look to Him and by faith, be thankful for how He will use them to draw us closer to Him. Some tough circumstance may be coming to mind. God didn't do that, but He will certainly heal it.
Lord, thank You that You can make beauty from ashes (Isaiah 63:1). Help us to trust You regardless of what the circumstances are.