1 Chronicles 17

I am always convicted when I read how King David reacts to disappointment. His disappointment wasn’t like that of someone with a craving finding out Dunkin Donuts just sold their last jelly donut. David had a passion. And it was a good one.

Out of his overflowing love of God, David wanted to build a temple worthy of housing the Ark of the Covenant, a place deserving of the Presence of God. That, to me, is a worthy cause, one that would seemingly be pleasing to God.

I’m pretty sure David laid awake at night picturing how he would build the Temple; a wall here, a window there. Maybe he even did a Joanna Gaines and pictured where the furniture would go, the color scheme, the shiplap. I think David planned a home fit for the King of the Universe. Nothing would be too good or too expensive in building a temple for the God he loved so much.

But God told him, “NO!” Put on the brakes, there, David. I’ve got other plans.

God shut the door on that project. David would not build the temple. He wouldn’t realize his dream. God said so.

Have you ever had God shut a door on your plans? A relationship ends. You don’t get the job you’ve prepared for all your life. A ministry you really want goes to someone else. Maybe your child quits playing baseball, shattering your dreams of a professional career.

How do you react? How did David react? He looked toward heaven and said, “Thank you.” You heard me right. God said, “No.” David said, “Thank you.”

Verse 6 says:

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me thus far?

I hope you’ll read David’s prayer. He goes on to praise God for blessing him way more than he deserves. He lays his dreams at the feet of God – and lets go. How? How could he not at least question God’s judgment or try to talk God into changing His mind?

Read it.

Then ask yourself: has God been faithful to me in the past? Am I blessed?

You know He has and you are! So don’t doubt God will continue to be faithful, continue to bless, even if you don’t understand Him at the moment.

David shows me that he loved God more than he loved his dreams. Every time I read this portion of Scripture, I find myself asking if the same can be said of me.