DAVID – GOD’S USE OF ISOLATION
1 Samuel 20-31
Isolation: when God sets a leader aside from their destiny process to develop deeper, heart issues dealing with their inner spirit; our “doing” for God ceases and we are forced to focus on our “being” with God.
“God develops our character in community and tests it in isolation.”
Bill Thrall
God develops our spirit in isolation and tests it in community.
Spirit: relating to and loving God, rather than doing something for God; knowledge and understanding of God, confidence in God, surrender to God
During isolation periods, God develops a leader into a channel for His power to be displayed. We learn to boast in weakness for we know God will work through our weakness for His glory.
2 Cor. 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Examples of Isolation:
Jesus – 40 days in the wilderness Luke 4:1-14
Luke 4:1,14
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert…. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
Moses – 40 years in desert tending sheep Acts 7:23,30
Paul – time in Arabia after conversion; years in Tarsus Gal. 1:17, 2:1
David – running from Saul in the desert ( +10 years ) 1 Sam.20-31
Leaders can anticipate times of isolation when God sets them aside from the activities of leadership in order to develop them in deeper ways. Don’t be surprised by this, in fact, know that God is using this to develop you as a better leader. Lean into it and don’t rush back to the action. Let God have His way and His timing in your development.
