Trust God to turn cursings into blessings.

"Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head...And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him" (2 Sam. 16:9-12).

How many of us when faced with false accusations or when being cursed like David was being cursed, would not want to defend ourselves, set the record straight or even get even? But rather than allowing Abishai (one of David's loyal and valiant men) to take off Shimei's head, (who cursed David), he said, "let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him" (2 Sam.16:12). One of the keys to David's success was that he could see beyond the intensity of a moment or a crisis to the faithfulness and Sovereignty of his God. I've witness on more then one occasion someone being cursed, or insulted and having to be held back or told to let it go. In David's case not only was he the one being curse but he was also the one telling someone else that was taking up his offense to let it go. What enabled David to exercise such restraint? David knew that God was ultimately in control. He knew that God ruled over the affairs of men. The Psalmist wrote, "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another" (Psalm 75:6-7).

David knew that if God willed for him to continue to be the King he would be in spite of the curses of Shimei. In fact David knew that God could take even the evil intentions of others and used them to bring about his plan and purpose for his life.

Remember that Joseph was sold into Egypt because of the evil actions of his brothers who envied him. But God promoted Joseph from a slave to a ruler in Egypt not only in spite of the evils of his brother but through them. When Joseph was promoted he said to his brothers, "What you meant for evil God meant it for good. David defended himself and fought many battles. But David knew that there were times when he just had to step back and let God be God. He could trust God to be the one to vindicate him and repay the evil that was done unto him. Like David, there will be times when we too will need to look past the evil intentions of others to the Sovereignty of a faithful God. Trust God to turn cursings into blessings.