David, exiled!

22 ^1-2 So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all.

^3-4 Then David went to Mizpah in Moab. He petitioned the king of Moab, “Grant asylum to my father and mother until I find out what God has planned for me.” David left his parents in the care of the king of Moab. They stayed there all through the time David was hiding out.
⁵ The prophet Gad told David, “Don’t go back to the cave. Go to Judah.” David did what he told him. He went to the forest of Hereth.

^6-8 Saul got word of the whereabouts of David and his men. He was sitting under the big oak on the hill at Gibeah at the time, spear in hand, holding court surrounded by his officials. He said, “Listen here, you Benjaminites! Don’t think for a minute that you have any future with the son of Jesse! Do you think he’s going to hand over choice land, give you all influential jobs? Think again. Here you are, conspiring against me, whispering behind my back—not one of you is man enough to tell me that my own son is making deals with the son of Jesse, not one of you who cares enough to tell me that my son has taken the side of this, this . . . outlaw!”

David went away, he went to hide in the caves. He was at a lowest point of his life. From a servant beside the king, he is now a refugee and wanted man. Throughout this time, David still spoke to God. He obeyed what God told him to do through prophet Gad. He could have just used his own strength and determined where he should go, it back to the cave. But he trusted the Lord and went where the Lord wants him to go. Even in these tough times, he still walked with God and there was never once that he complained to God about his exile or suffering. He just took it in and know that God would exalt him. In tough times, do we know that God would exalt us? Do we still trust in His word? or do we trust in ours?