Vulnerability with God

By Hannah Bolden

“But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. Now David had been told, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.’ So David prayed, ‘Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.’ When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head. David said to him, ‘If you go with me, you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, “Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,” then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice. Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace. Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.’ So Hushai, David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city.”—2 Samuel 15:30-37 (NIV)

When you’re facing a scary situation, do you ever feel pressured to show a brave face? This might be how you expect David to act at the beginning of this passage. After all, he’s a king surrounded by his supporters. The world tells us we must always be strong and in control, but David takes a different approach in this passage.

After his son's betrayal, David’s once again running for his life. David flees toward the only One he knows to go to—God. Take a moment, reread verse 30, and picture David as he treks up the Mount of Olives. David isn't trying to be brave for God and his companions. He’s weeping with his head covered and feet bare, all a physical representation of his shame. Do you ever feel like you need to approach God with a brave face? That's how the world tells us to approach our problems, but God wants us to be vulnerable with Him.

Next, David has discovered that his advisor, Ahithophel, has sided with the enemy. David knows Ahithophel is a wise counselor, and his request to the Lord is to "turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness." David makes his request known to the Lord, regardless of His response. God wants you to be honest with your requests. Nothing is ever too big or too bold to ask.

Lastly, look at how David deals with Ahithophel. After seeking out God, David goes to Hushai, a trusted advisor, and asks him to return to the city and "help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice." Even though there’s little David can do, he still chooses to take what action he can, even if it’s asking a trusted person for help.

You may feel tempted to seek God and sit back and do nothing, but He may want you to do more. God will not always open doors for us; sometimes, we have to be the ones to open the door and let the Holy Spirit guide us. In this moment, David seeks out God and then immediately takes action. This may be what God is calling you to do.

This passage of Scripture gives three action steps on how to handle challenging situations:

1. Come before the Lord in honesty and humility.

2. Make your requests known to God.

3. Assess the situation, and take what action you can. Let God handle the rest.

It can be scary to approach God when you're vulnerable, but remember, there’s no safer place than in God's presence.

Pause: Next time you find yourself in a tough spot, pause and be honest with God about how you feel.

Practice: Pray to God daily and ask Him for what you need. Remember, nothing is ever too big or too bold to ask.

Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for always being available to me every moment of the day. I pray that in moments of distress, I’ll seek You first and rely on Your wisdom. May I never be too embarrassed to ask You for what I desire in my heart. Amen.