Life can be filled with trouble. The Old Testament character Job declared, in Job 14:1, “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Somebody said, “It is not what happens to you that matters, it is how you respond to what happens to you that matters.”
In the New Testament epistle of James 1:2-3, we read, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” We conclude that trouble in our life can strengthen us and make us better people, if we keep the proper perspective.
Michal was a woman who lived in Old Testament times. She had many good opportunities, she was tested in many ways, but on one fateful day, she opened her mouth and said some things that put her life on a side track.
Michal was a princess. She was the second daughter of Saul, the king of Israel. She lived in a palace with all the perks of the “first” family.
David, the shepherd boy who would one day be king, enters the story as a harp player for King Saul. The music of the harp soothed Saul’s troubled spirit. It was obvious that these daughters of Saul would notice this handsome guy who had entered their world.
A war broke out between Israel and Philistia. The battle lines were drawn. The Philistines presented their champion Goliath who daily challenged Israel. David rises up and kills Goliath. Because of the extreme accolades given David by the women, King Saul now considered David his enemy. Saul promised the hand of his oldest daughter Merab to David if he would “fight the battles of the Lord,” hoping it would mean evil and calamity for David. When Merab should have been given to David, she was given to another man.
Subsequently, Saul’s younger daughter Michal was offered to David for 100 foreskins from the Philistine enemy. Again, an attempt to backhandedly kill David that backfired. Saul was also counting on Michal being a snare to David. But apparently, unbeknownst to Saul, Michal loved David, and they were married. One might think this is the time for “happily ever after.” However, later, Michal was forced to choose between honoring her father and giving David over or protecting her husband. Michal chose David.
David was now a fugitive, and Michal was given by her father to another man to be his wife. Most likely, Michal was having a lot of trouble processing all that was happening.
Eventually, King Saul was killed and David became king of Israel. David sent and had Michal returned to him in the palace. Once again, one might think, “Finally, peace and comfort,” but not so. On the occasion when David was honoring God by bringing the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem, Michal looked out her window and saw David leaping and dancing before the Lord with abandon, as his heart was lifted up to God. Later that day, Michal rebuked David for making himself a public spectacle (2 Samuel 6:20).
Those words by Michal came out of a bitter heart. One can assume David set her aside that day, for the Scripture says she had no children to the day of her death (2 Samuel 6:23).
Michal had trouble in her life. She allowed the trouble to harden her heart and eventually spoil her life. Do not let trouble get you down.