The Danger of Your Way
Having recently just finished reading through 1 Samuel as part of my daily quiet time, I cannot help but notice how relatable Saul is to many of us. Everyone wants things to go their way, and they grow impatient when their timing does not work out. Think about it. What do you do when things do not happen in your timeframe?
Do you take matters into your own hands?
Do you get frustrated?
Do you trust God?
As I continued to read through 1 Samuel and noticed the difference between Saul’s view of God and David’s view of God, I began to question where I find myself. If I am being honest, I related to Saul more than I thought I would. Saul was often a man with good intentions who wanted to serve God. However, Saul fell victim to his own pride. Instead of trusting in God, obeying Him, and waiting on Him, Saul would take matters into his own hands. For example, Saul often disobeyed God’s instructions when it came to battle (1 Samuel 15). Saul was also an impatient man (1 Samuel 13).
Although David had his many faults, he still honored God. David often prayed to God and sought His will before pursuing any action. He knew God would be on His side. All this and more earned David the honor of being “a man after God’s heart” (Acts 13:22). This title from God demonstrates His mercy towards His children.
Saul exemplifies the danger of not fully surrendering to God.
Both Saul and David had their faults, but only one understood the importance of a life fully surrendered to God. David shows us what happens when we surrender to God. When we let God take control of our lives and trust that He knows what is best for us since He knows the future, we reap the blessings of living in God’s will. The danger of following our way over God’s is missing what God can truly do through us. When we don’t surrender to God, we fail to live up to our full potential. Most importantly, we show that our hearts tend to follow our own way, demonstrating a lack of faith and obedience.
Are you demonstrating a lack of faith today? Are you surrendering to the comfort of being in control or stepping out of your comfort zone to surrender to God fully?
Saul’s life ended tragically, with him falling on his own sword and his children dying at the hands of Israel’s enemies. What’s even more tragic is how Saul missed his full potential because he never fully surrendered to God, nor followed Him in complete obedience. The lesson we can learn is that there is a danger in following our own way and not obeying what God has called us to do.
What’s holding you back? Is pride holding you back like it held Saul back? Look at the life of Saul. It ended tragically in his death and his lack of realizing his full potential. Don’t let your life end as Saul’s did. Live a life of full surrender to God, even if it goes against the norm of what people think you should do.