I don’t quite get it….maybe someone can shed some light on some questions I have? (shared at the end of this post)

I was continuing my reading in 2 Chronicles, chapters 19 and 20, this morning. (I have found the account of the reign of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles to be especially interesting.)

Particularly interesting today, was the account of a great and mighty display of God’s power and strength, on behalf of Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. Faced with an impending attack with forces that far exceeded their own strength, Jehoshaphat encouraged the people of Judah to turn to Almighty God for direction and wisdom. The entire nation fasted and prayed and sought God with their whole hearts. The result of their loyalty and trust in God was that God defeated the enemy and saved Judah in the day of battle! Following this account in chapter 20, scripture notes that, "Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around." (vs. 30)

The fundamental point to this story was that Jehoshaphat turned to God, trusted Him and obeyed God, and in the end, God was victorious, showing all nations His power and might!

It’s interesting to me that throughout Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah, he was known as a good and Godly king, and yet, there are accounts in 2 Chronicles of disastrous occasions when King Jehoshaphat lost trust in and strayed from God…and for extended periods of time!

My question(s) is this… (I never ask just ONE question!)
How could a king, such as Jehoshaphat, who was known to have great faith in God, have waivered in such obvious and mammoth situations, so as to upset his life, his entire kingdom and future? What am I missing in his life? Would there have been cultural conditions that I have overlooked that may have contributed to Jehoshaphat’s periodic and drastic plunge in faith in God? Perhaps Jehoshaphat’s faith in God was more a ‘show’; an external response to God, as opposed to an internal knowledge of God? I am wondering how this man, a great and mighty king from the line of David, could have displayed such a turning away from God.

I am not ‘tooting my horn’, but want to add another question into my quandary for the day: Why is it that I, a mere, weak, frail and sinful woman, have been able to maintain my faith in and reliance on God for nearly 30 years while a great and powerful king, with all things at his disposal, was unable to stand steadfast on God? While I, personally, have been tested in my faith many times, and have, at times, wavered in my faith, I have always come through any trials victoriously and with new insight and even greater faith in God!

Ah….as I type this, I am thinking that there is one thing that was NOT at his disposal, which is at mine! The HOLY SPIRIT residing within us! Ahha….that must be part of the answer!  (Thanks, God)

Have I ‘hit the nail on the head’ with my revelation about the Holy Spirit within us? I know that until Christ returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit was NOT residing within the hearts of Godly people. Wow! It’s no wonder that the people of God would have seemingly been so capable of turning away from God. Without the perfect Holy Spirit dwelling in me….what would *I* be???

Please feel free to add any comments or thoughts to this post!