When seeking God’s discernment on any matter, one needs to consider that the answer may not be as we desire. That’s the true nature of following and honoring God: that it is He who leads not our hopes, dreams, expectations, etc. For this post, let’s consider scriptural accounts: David’s desire to construct a temple, Joseph & Mary (Jesus’ earthly parents), and Joseph (Justus) a potential apostle. Bible passages are from the Berean Standard Bible and images from Night Cafe Studio and Canva Pro.
The light of the sun melts away the fog of early morning. Stock image from Canva Pro.
When God says no to a desire or hope,our devotion and faithfulness are being tested. How we respond is important to our witness and faith journey. May God’s Word and truths encourage you in your moments of difficulty!
David and building God a temple
David desires to build God a temple as David has settled into his great palace. 2 Samuel chapter 7 and 1 Chronicles 17 explains.
2 Samuel 7: emphasis mine
1After the king had settled into his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
3And Nathan replied to the king, “Go and do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
At first the prophet Nathan agrees with David’s desire and plan, but God has a different plan. The Ark of the Covenant is God’s place in the tabernacle. David desires for God to have a house that honors Him. Nathan makes the mistake of speaking prior to consulting God. Ever done that yourself?
David prays.
God Speaks His Message to Nathan
4But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, 5“Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build for Me a house to dwell in? 6For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved about with a tent as My dwelling. 7In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked any of the leaders I appointed to shepherd My people Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?’
God asks questions. It’s obvious in this text that David desires to honor God with a temple. Why is this? David is living in a cedar palace while God’s dwelling is a tabernacle or tent. David wants to build God a temple.
This is a painful truth in walking with God. Even when our desire(s) and ideas are to honor and please God-that doesn’t mean that those desires/plans are inline with God’s plan/will. Charles Spurgeon explains:
“Though the Lord refused to David the realisation of his wish, he did it in a most gracious manner. He did not put the idea away from him in anger or disdain, as though David had cherished an unworthy desire; but he honoured his servant even in the non-acceptance of his offer.”
Source: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-samuel-7/ accessed 1/29/24
God’s Word is full of promises and examples to light the way for us to walk with Him! Holy Spirit speaks these truths into our lives to encourage and guide us.
God’s Promises to David
To help you with this text, I am emphasizing God’s promises:
2 Samuel 7:8-15
8Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land.
Promise 1: Just as God has chosen and called David from a teen shepherd to become a ruler, been present with David, protected him from his enemies–God will make a name. Consider that thousands of years later, I am writing about an ancient shepherd king who would be the archetype for a man after God’s own heart! Also important to recall is that God made the same promise to Abraham in His covenant with Abraham. God is making a covenant with David and His descendants!
10And I will provide a place for My people Israel and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own and be disturbed no more. No longer will the sons of wickedness oppress them as they did at the beginning 11and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that He Himself will establish a house for you.
Promise 2: God establishes His people in the Promised Land and gives them peace. This comes to fruition during the reign of King Solomon.
12And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
15But My loving devotion will never be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I moved out of your way. 16Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.”
Promise 3: God will establish a house for David–David wanted to build a house for God and God promises something far better than allowing David to build a temple. Jesus comes from the line of King David. God promises that He will discipline and establish David’s house for all eternity.
For more details on these promises check out this excellent verse by verse commentary:
https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-samuel-7/
This article explains why God doesn’t want David to build the temple:
https://www.gotquestions.org/David-temple.html
God reminds of His Light and Glory as we worship Him in times of disappointment and rejection. The light in this image is God’s presence streaming into His house.
Worshiping God
God gives David something far greater than the joy of building a temple for Him! How does David respond? David praises God! Check out his prayer of praise and worship
https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_samuel/7.htm
David goes before God’s presence v18. and acknowledges what God has done for him and the people of Israel. Can you go before God with a heart full of praise and thankfulness when He denies your desires? What if God has something much greater than our desires? God is more generous and gracious that even our best desires for Him!
David acknowledges God’s nature and past works of deliverance and mercy for His people. David also begins making preparations for the temple to be built later. Often when we are disappointed and feeling rejected, worship and reflecting on God’s nature is the last thing we want to do. But it’s absolutely the most helpful thing we can do! Here is a link to several Psalms you can read and pray through for these moments:
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/psalms-of-lament-to-remind-us-we-are-not-alone.html
Worship in the moments of rejection and difficulty! Invite God into your journey during these moments.
The Difficult Path God calls Mary and Joseph in being Jesus’ parents
This image represents Mary embracing God’s message to her. Even with many unknowns, she agrees with God’s plan and fulfills her special role as Jesus’ mother.
Jesus obviously fulfills His promise to David as Jesus Reigns eternally. Luke repeats Gabriel’s decree to Mary:
31Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
Consider Mary and Joseph as a couple/family. They were a human Jewish couple getting ready to be married (betrothed) and to walk life together. Gabriel comes and delivers God’s message and it makes things complicated for Mary and Joseph. Joseph considers sending Mary away because she’s pregnant (Matthew 1:18-21) They both are in a painful, difficult situation. Yet, they choose to trust and obey God even when it doesn’t make sense.
Consider that Gabriel came to Mary with a personal visit. An angel speaks to Joseph in a dream. Yet, Joseph trusts and obeys the message that comes through a dream. Would you trust a dream with an angel who tells you something that hasn’t happened before? Who has ever heard of a person becoming pregnant through Holy Spirit apart from a man? This post explores this topic in more detail:
Joseph’s Dream
What if Mary and Joseph just wanted to be married and journey through life together in a normal sense like other couples? They are forced to move to Egypt to protect Jesus (Matthew Chapter 2) then they move back to Nazareth when Herod had died. They were refugees fleeing to save their young son! Can you imagine how difficult it must have been for them–the journey, being separated from family and friends?
AI image the valley. At times in our journey we find ourselves walking through a valley of uncertainty, difficulty. Sometimes the way is hard, and the path leaves us weary and sad.
Justus
Consider Justus (Joseph called Barsabbas) who wasn’t chosen as an apostle. The eleven disciples replace Judas after his death:
Acts 1:21-26
21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen 25to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.”
26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Joseph Barsabbas Justus was not being spurned by the congregation or by the apostles.
It was the Lord himself who skipped over him in deference to another.
In the biblical record nothing else is known of him outside the present text. He is simply remembered as the one not having been chosen by the Lord.
http://kmooreperspective.blogspot.com/2020/09/worthy-but-not-chosen-part-1-joseph.html accessed 1/29/24
This post explains various sources and possibilities:
http://kmooreperspective.blogspot.com/2020/09/worthy-but-not-chosen-part-1-joseph.html
We don’t know why that God selected Matthias over Justus. If you have experienced the pain of rejection then you will understand this scenario. Worse, it was the Lord who rejected Justus. It wasn’t the other disciples or believers. The Book of Acts doesn’t explain why God chooses Matthias only that He does. Sometimes we face a similar situation. We desire to serve God in a particular setting or role and God says no/choosing another person. This is a painful experience that one walks through.
This image represents the times wherein we find ourselves alone in the Light of His Presence as we seek to serve Him.
Personal Reflections
Not every ministry or calling from God is successful as other believers or the world defines it. God calls men and women to places/works of service wherein there are few converts/baptisms or visible progress. God has placed people in my path to encourage who didn’t repent or turn to God in an observable way. The tragic experiences included friends/young ones walking away from God and aware of their need to change course but didn’t. I don’t know if they ever came to Christ.
Serving in youth ministry, numerous young people left and refused to return when invited back. There was nothing that I was able to do. These losses are deeply painful to a youth minister who deeply cares for his younglings. It’s painful to see people walking away from faith and fellowship.
To be in ministry means to be rejected. Not everyone wants to hear the truth. Some will reject you and the message for reasons that they can’t explain if you ask. Churches and people will reject for reasons/things beyond your control. Accepting this reality has been difficult.
I’ve seen people make bad choices and choose the temporary comforts/joys of this world over walking faithfully and obediently with Christ. It hurts deeply when one isn’t able to convince others to turn to Christ in faith, trust, and obedience. We desire to see others changed, healed, and restored, but that isn’t always the outcome.
Yet, God calls us to love and encourage others proclaiming His Good News of Grace and the need to turn from darkness to be made anew through His redemption. Often past experiences of failure/lack of progress discourages us from moving forward in this call.
Not Knowing “Why” maybe God’s mercy and kindness to us
Often we will not know the “why” behind God’s actions and this is an act of divine mercy. It’s quite possible that if we knew the “why” then perhaps we would walk away from God in bitter disappointment and unbelief. The reality is that we live in a world wherein we have to deal with our own sinfulness, weakness, and lack of knowledge/perspective and suffer from other’s sinfulness as well.
Consider Moses and the numerous Prophets of the Old Testament. They struggled to guide and shepherd God’s people who consistently rebelled and wandered away into idolatry. How many converts did Jeremiah have to celebrate? He too was forced into exile.
Perhaps not knowing is an act of loving-kindness and mercy. One difficulty of seeking God’s direction is that He doesn’t explain Himself or His reasons to us. Could we fully understand if He were to explain it? Would understanding make it less painful?
In Christ Alone we can endure and persevere in His call. Find rest and renewal in His Light and Presence.
The Answer: Patience and Trust in His Grace
Yet, we are responsible for being obedient and walking in faith (according to what He reveals about Himself and His Nature) when we don’t fully understand and feel rejected by Him or others. My encouragement is to keep pressing ahead in faith, love, and devotion, so that we might be found to be faithful when the journey ends or He returns!
There is not a more God honouring grace of the Christian character than patience – a patient waiting on and for the Lord.
It is that Christian grace, the fruit of the Spirit, which will enable you to bear with dignity, calmness, and submission the afflictive dealings of your Heavenly Father, the rebuke of the world, and the wounding of the saints.
Octavious Winslow “Soul-Depths and Soul-Heights, 1874.” quote online https://gracequotes.org/author-quote/octavius-winslow/
When the rejection and disappointment comes against you, recall these lyrics from “I Stand Amazed in the Presence”
Verse 4
He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden on Calv’ry,
And suffered and died alone.
Chorus
Oh, how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be;
Oh, how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
Verse 5
When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
‘Twill be my joy thro’ the ages
To sing of His love for me.
Words of Grace & Hope 