Thus you will walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.

A road will be there and a way; it will be called the Holy Way. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for the one who walks the path. Even the fool will not go astray. (Isaiah 35:8)

“My lord, why do you listen to those who say I plan to harm you? Look! Today the Eternal One placed you at my mercy in that cave. I could have done anything to you, and some said I should kill you. But I refused. I said, “I will not raise my hand against my lord, the Eternal's anointed king.”

Father, do you see what I am holding in my hand? It is the corner of your robe. Recognize and understand that I have not committed evil or treason against you -that I cut this off and did not kill you. I have not wronged you, even though you are hunting me and trying to kill me.

May the Eternal One judge between us. If the Eternal chooses to avenge me and punish you, then let Him, but I will not take revenge against you. As the old proverb says, 'From the wicked flows wickedness.' But I will not harm you.

Whom did the king of Israel come out in pursuit of, anyway? A dead dog? A lone flea? Someone as insignificant as I am? May the Eternal One judge between us. May He see who has done wrong and argue my case and uphold justice on my behalf.” (1 Samuel 24:9-15)

Saul projected evil and then acted on his fears and took matters into his own hands. Over and over, Saul failed to trust and obey God. When things got difficult, Saul continually chose to take matters into his own hands.

In Samuel 13:12 Saul tells Samuel, “I thought, 'The Philistines are going to attack me here in Gilgal, and I haven't even asked the Eternal One to favor us.' So I took matters into my own hands -I didn't want to – but I offered the burnt offering myself.”

It was taking matters into his own hands that was the downfall of Saul that resulted in him losing the kingdom (1 Samuel 13:14). Saul didn't take responsibility or see that he was wrong, rather he blamed his circumstances as the problem. His circumstances led to fearful thoughts which he projected into bad scenarios and resulted in him moving forward in action. As Samuel It is what was the eventual downfall of Saul.

Moving forward out of fear, blame or anger always results in poor choices. Saul was angry and blamed the priests for giving David bread and direction when it was not true. The priest reasoned with him, telling him he was supporting the king by helping his faithful servant. Saul's fear and anger still got in the way and he killed all the priests.

Anna Maravelas writes of what she calls flooding. This is where our bodies flood with adrenaline as a result of inflamed, blame-based thinking. She writes, “Under the influence of inflammatory thinking, behavior becomes irrational.”[1] As ones body reacts in aggression or running as the fight or flight response is activated.  In this state, being open to see options becomes extremely limited. [2]

She goes on to note that because one's ability to problem solve and listen become impaired, they are in no condition to respond to someone else with empathy and concern. One can then vacillate between blaming others, feeling guilty and blaming self. [3]

These negative thinking patterns of expecting the worst in a situation, mistrust of other's motives, and blaming are often irrational and far from the truth.   They lead to irrational behaviors. The situations with Saul murdering the priests, trying to kill David, trying to kill his son, and other poor choices were mainly rooted in this type of thinking. As he moved into this thinking, Saul became closed off to God, unable to trust and obey.

David on the other hand, chose the opposite position. Rather than take matters in his own hands when things became difficult, he chose to trust himself in the hands of God. He knew God and His mercy anticipated His goodness to come through even when he made mistakes.

Jean-Pierre De Caussade writes, “'Sacrifice a just sacrifice and hope in the Lord' (Psalm 4:8, Vulgate) said the prophet. That is to say that the sure and solid foundation of our spiritual life is to give ourselves to God and put ourselves in his hands body and soul. To forget ourselves completely so that he becomes our whole joy and his pleasure and glory, his being, our only good. To think of ourselves as objects sold and delivered, for God to do with what he likes.” [3]

When Saul hunted down David, rather than kill Saul out of fear for His own life, David chose to trust and surrender himself to God. He trusted God would deliver him and put himself into the hands of his enemy. He bowed before Saul and pleaded with him to see the truth.

One quote I have from somewhere says, “What does a will or heart look like that has been transformed into Christlikeness? It is characterized by single-minded and joyous devotion to God and his will, to what God wants for us, and to service to him and other because of him.”

David lived this kind of life that all his energy was put into single-minded and joyous devotion to God. When things became difficult, instead of acting out of his fear and anger, He put things in God's hands. He trusted God to defend him. Moses told the people in Exodus 14:14, “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent." David believed this.

Romans 12:18-20 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD."…

What Paul is saying is to never take matters into one's own hands. Instead, trust God to take care of you and continue to do good. Love sincerely those who cause you harm. Be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving of each other.

David knew this and said about Saul in 1 Samuel 26:10, “As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.”

Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'”

We can chose the path of looking to God, trusting Him, and chose the path of good rather than evil.

This practice starts with our thinking. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Rather than allowing our fears and judgments to overtake us, we can refuse to go there. Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 13:5-7, that love “does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.…”

Anna Maravelas suggests a four steps to move from blame-based, fearful, inflammatory thinking that results in flooding to a more positive, good, and above the line approach. She calls the four steps EASE: Empathy, Appreciation, Search for Solutions, and Explore. [4]

Start with listening and empathizing with the situation of the other person. Have genuine concern for them. [5]

Then look for what one can appreciate about them, their commitments, expertise and/or efforts. I once was told, even if you have to appreciate the shoe laces, there is always something you can find to appreciate when you are looking for it. Anna notes that one should acknowledge and state their appreciation to the other. [6]

In addition to this, we can be curious rather than judgmental. Anna Maravelas writes, “The main goal in step three is to replace negative assumptions and judgments with curiosity and concern. Rather than assume we know someone's intentions, we can ask questions that search to be on their side. [7]

Finally one can look for solutions that create bonding and bridging through empathy and appreciation rater than blame and contempt. [8]

If we surrender ourselves and the outcomes into God's hand and make the will of God in all matters our choice rather than our own will, we will have peace in the moment.  It doesn't mean that we will not have trouble, but that God will be in it with us and take us through it. 

David went to defend the people of Keilah, despite objections by his men,when there was nothing in it for him. It was a risk for him when they were hiding out, but he did it anyways because he knew God had spoke to him about it and he had compassion on the people.

Then the same people who he helped, would have handed him over to Saul to protect themselves. But David did not become bitter, blame or harm them out of anger. Rather he moved on and ran. He found other places to hide out. (1 Samuel 23:1-13)

Someone once said to me somewhere, faith is faithfulness to God in action.  David chose faithfulness in these and many circumstances no matter how things looked for him. 

Lord, forgive me where I fall into negative thinking patterns that are critical, blaming, or fearful. It is sometimes easiest to assume the worst, especially if others are thinking this way and validating this thinking. Let us be those who trust in You and surrender our will in all situations. Let our minds and thoughts be filled with what is good and lovely. Let us choose the path of goodness in the moment.