I Samuel 4:3
“When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.”
We can learn much from this passage. First off, Israel suffered a defeat. 4,000 men were killed in the first day of battle. Today’s verse was Israel’s introspection. It wasn’t a bad thought. They looked to God. However, it was shallow. Almost like putting a jewelry cross around our necks and hoping for His help.
What should they have done. We will probably find out shortly, but they should have waited for God’s response. Also, it was established that Samuel was a prophet. They should have sought him out for advice.
What about us? We often have difficulties. How are we to face them in light of our faith? See if there is a biblical answer. Some times we may be involved in something immoral or at least antibiblical. If so, change our actions and bring it to God.
We can pray and give it time. “Lord, I give you my life. I’m confused about what to do. Help and guide me.” He appreciates and will respond to that request. The answer may not be what we expect, but He will honor it and it will be the best thing for us.
If we haven’t given control of our lives to God, that’s primary. The Lord’s prayer says, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven”, Matthew 6:10. It may sound frightening. We often think He will put us in the priesthood or something extreme. First off, He moves with baby steps, so nothing drastic occurs. That is unless our lives are against Him. But even then, He is patient with us and will gently move us. Think of how slowly and almost without our perception a cruise ship turns. He’s not seeking to terrify us. He is “gentle and humble in heart”, Matthew 11:29. Giving our lives over to God is like hiring the most talented contractor to remodel our homes. It’s in His hands. We can trust Him.
We can seek advise from godly people. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they succeed.” Hopefully we have trusted friends. If not, we can call the church. They will have staff who can provide council.
One thing to note is that a bad circumstance in life may not be contrary to God’s will. He uses life events to mold and mature us. We still should pray for His will to be done. It’s often an attitude to adopt. He will help us with that.
Lord, thank You that You want to be involved in our lives. Help us to yield to You and be patient.