8.28.2026 - Nate Triemstra

Friday, August 28, 2026

I Samuel 25:30-31

When the Lord has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord has brought my master success, remember your servant.

If you have time, read all of I Samuel 25.

We’ve read several stories of people who lacked self-control this week. Let’s take a look at a story of someone maintaining self-control.

Sometimes, God gives us self-control by working through people in our lives. In today’s passage, David is on the precipice of acting rashly, even as he feels completely justified. At this point in David’s life, he is a renegade. Saul seeks to kill him, so David and his men are living outside of Israel and surviving any way they can. They are living close to a man named Nabal, who has many sheep that graze in the same area. David and his men begin this story showing great self-control. David is a man after God’s own heart, and though his group needs food, they do not steal from Nabal. They do not harass Nabal’s shepherds. They treat the others with respect and even protect them as they go about their business. David and his men demonstrate that hearts turned towards God’s will are hearts that have God’s self-control.

But even those most devoted to following God have moments of struggle. Because David has shown kindness to Nabal’s people, David requests hospitality in return. Again, he and his men are in survival mode, but they have respected Nabal’s property and people, and they are hoping that Nabal can show respect as well. Nabal, however, does not care at all about David’s respect. He shows no hospitality and insults David. At this point, David loses self-control. He tells his men to grab their swords; they are going to destroy Nabal and everything that belongs to him.

Anger can so quickly make us lose self-control. It might be the biggest challenge to self-control. We’re driving on I-10, and someone cuts us off. We have what we think is a great idea, and our coworkers dismiss it. A family member refuses to take responsibility for the mess he has made. Whenever we have an idea of what should happen, and instead, our desires are blocked, we may react in anger and lose sight of God’s ways. Self-control in these moments does not feel like it will bring us what we want.

In this instance, David is fortunate. Nabal’s wife, Abigail, goes to David and takes the blame for her husband’s insults. In the passage we read for today, she apologizes, and pleads for mercy. She points out to David that God has a plan for him, and avenging this insult plays no part in this plan. What an amazing observation from Abigail. When we are angry, we want our way, and we are often willing to compromise God’s ways to achieve that way. In her response to David’s anger, Abigail points out that God is in control, and because of this, David has no need to angrily take control of the situation. David’s self-control returns because Abigail brings God’s providence back to the forefront of his mind. Allow the wise people in your life to remind you that God provides, to remind you that your anger is not what accomplishes God’s will, to remind you that God gives you self-control so that you can allow his desires to flow through your heart rather than your own.