Life can be filled with trouble. The Old Testament character Job declared, "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" (Job 14:1). Someone has said, "It's not what happens to you that matters, it's how you respond to what happens to you that matters."

In James 1:2-3, we read, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." We conclude that trouble can strengthen us and make us better people, if we keep the proper perspective.

Michal was a woman who lived in Old Testament times. She had many good opportunities; she was tested in many ways, but on one fateful day she opened her mouth and said some things that put her life on a side track.

Michal was a princess. She was the second daughter of Saul, the king of Israel. She lived in a palace with all the perks of the "first" family.

David, the shepherd boy who would one day be king, enters the story as a harp player for King Saul. The music of the harp soothed Saul's troubled spirit. It was obvious that the daughters of Saul would notice this handsome guy who had entered their world.

A war broke out between Israel and Philistia. The battle lines were drawn. The Philistines presented their champion Goliath, who daily challenged Israel. David rose up and killed Goliath.

Because of the extreme accolades given David by the women, King Saul now considered David his enemy. Saul promised the hand of his oldest daughter, Merab, to David if he would "fight the battles of the Lord," hoping it would mean evil and calamity for David. But when Merab should have been given to David, she was given to another man.

Subsequently, Saul's daughter Michal was offered to David for 100 foreskins from the Philistine enemy. Again, a backhanded attempt to kill David that backfired. Saul was also counting on Michal being a snare to David. But apparently, unbeknownst to Saul, Michal loved David, and they were married.

One might think this is the time for "happily ever after." However, later, Michal was forced to choose between protecting her husband and honoring her father by giving David over. Michal chose David.

David was now a fugitive, and Michal was given by her father to another man to be his wife. Most likely, Michal was having a lot of trouble processing all that was happening.

Eventually, King Saul was killed, and David became king of Israel. David sent and had Michal returned to him in the palace. Once again, one might think, "Finally, peace and comfort." But not so.

On the occasion when David was honoring God by bringing the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem, Michal looked out her window and saw David leaping and dancing before the Lord with abandon, as his heart was lifted up to God. Later that day, Michal rebuked David for making himself a public spectacle (2 Samuel 6:20).

Those words by Michal came out of a bitter heart. One can assume that David set her aside that day, because Scripture says she had no children to the day of her death (2 Samuel 6:23).

Michal knew trouble in her life. She allowed the trouble to harden her heart and eventually spoil her life. Don't let trouble get you down.