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Holding Honor and Heartbreak: 2 Samuel 1

  • Writer: Kami Pentecost
    Kami Pentecost
  • Jul 3
  • 2 min read
"Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him."(2 Samuel 1:11 NKJV)

The grief wasn’t just for Jonathan. It was for Saul too.

"The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions."(2 Samuel 1:19, 23 NKJV)

This was the same Saul who chased David down, lied about him, and made his life miserable for years. Still, David wept. He honored him. He spoke of him with dignity and respect. I could see

that for Jonathan, but Saul? I didn’t expect that.


I’ve been doing a lot of learning around boundaries, trauma, and relational dysfunction. Reading David’s response as me wrestling with a few thoughts: Was he ignoring the pain Saul caused? Was he minimizing it? Or was this what it looks like to stay surrendered? Was this David choosing to keep his heart soft rather than letting Saul’s behavior define him?


It doesn’t mean David was naïve or blind to Saul’s brokenness. It also doesn’t mean we’re meant to stay in harmful relationships or pretend hurtful behavior is okay. Maybe part of walking closely with the Lord means learning how to hold grief, honor, and truth in the same breath. Is that even possible????


David didn’t retaliate. He didn’t celebrate the end of his suffering. He grieved the loss of someone who made his life harder than it ever needed to be. This is hard. I want to learn from it.


Have you ever had to grieve someone who caused you pain?



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