The opening verse of 2 Samuel Chapter 3 says, “There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.”
It was a long war and it took its toll on the nation, but God had a plan. The plan was that David would become “stronger and stronger.” We might say that God was allowing continual adversity in David’s life in order to strengthen his faith. Faith is idle when circumstances are right, only when they are adverse is one’s faith in God exercised. Faith, like muscle, grows strong and supple with exercise. It always takes time.
One of my illustration books contains this short story: When James Garfield (later President of the U.S.) was principal of Hiram College in Ohio, a father asked him if the course of study could be simplified so that his son might be able to go through by a shorter route. “Certainly.” Garfield replied. “But it all depends on what you want to make of your boy. When God wants to make an oak tree, He takes a hundred years. When He wants to make a squash he requires only two months.” We are producing too many squashes and not enough oak trees in our day.
I would suggest that in our adversity, God is making us stronger and stronger also.