Have you ever felt like just running away? There is no doubt that life will get you down at times. You will always have good days, but you will also have some bad days. In my perspective, I’ve found that in my weakest moments, amidst my hardest trials, I have thought the same thing that David did in Psalm 55:6. “Oh that I had the wings of a dove, I would fly away and be at rest.” David was in a pit of despair. He was struggling with his own sin and had lost all hope. His friends had turned against him, and he was all alone. In his despair, he cried out to the Lord and said, “Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me.” (Psalm 55:1) David begged God for Him to hear him and answer his plea. He was at his lowest and he knew he needed God’s help. As he continued in his psalm (prayer), he speaks of sin and struggles, “My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught because of what my enemy is saying, because of the threats of the wicked; for they bring down suffering on me and assail me in their anger.” (Psalm 55:2-3)

The backstory to David’s plea is that he was in a situation where he lusted after a woman, Bathsheba, and later committed adultery with her. When he feared that her husband would find out, he had her husband killed while in battle. In every step, he lied about what was going on. One sin led to another which led to another which led to murder and more lies. In the end, his sin was exposed, and he was left with the consequences of his actions. The people that once knew him and trusted him now hated him and turned towards him in anger. He was the talk of the town and there were some people that threatened him and wanted him dead for his sin. In his defeat, he cried out to the Lord throughout the book of Psalms asking for forgiveness and mercy for his sins and restoration of his joy. He describes the pain and agony that he felt in his heart and mind in Psalm 55:4-8,

“My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen on me.
 Fear and trembling have beset me;
    horror has overwhelmed me.
 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
 I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;
 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
    far from the tempest and storm.” (Psalm 55:4-8)

At David’s darkest moment, he wanted to just fly away like a dove. He just wanted to get away from it all and leave everything behind. If I’m honest, I can relate. On my hardest days, I would love to be able to just fly away and go to a beach somewhere and just relax (definitely not a desert like David mentioned). In reality, fleeing from your troubles won’t make them go away. It might create distance between you and someone that has caused you pain; however, it will never solve the underlying problems. The strongest people will endure the battles placed in front of them and trust God to help them overcome each hurdle. Even when the battle you face is something you caused because of your direct sin, running away will not solve anything. David could have found a way to run from his troubles and distance himself from God and anyone that was against him; however, he begged God and prayed continuously for God’s forgiveness and mercy throughout the book of Psalms. His prayers are remembered today as he is remembered as a “man after God’s own heart.” His desire was to please the Lord, but he knew he had messed up pretty bad. Instead of just giving up, he gave his problems over to God and begged Him to forgive him and give him another chance. David continued to trust in God through it all and was forgiven for his sins. The Bible says in 1 Chronicles 29:28, “He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.” Despite his past and his sins, he died at an old age and enjoyed his life. Yes, he went through a struggle, but he never stopped trusting in God.

“Fight or Flight” is the term you’ll probably hear or have heard in school about your body’s reaction to certain situations, but in life you have the same responses to hard situations. When trouble arises, you either fight the battle in front of you or avoid it all together (flight). Don’t let flight be your go-to option. Anyone can run away from their troubles, anyone can give up, but with God’s help, you can overcome any battle you face. I challenge you to fight. Stand firm in your walk with Christ, and when you mess up, plea to God, pray for forgiveness, and let Him help you out of the darkness.

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!