Readings for today: 1 Samuel 21-24, Psalms 91
It’s almost a cliche in the ancient world. The harder one tries to escape one’s fate, the more that fate finds them. You see it Greek myth after Greek myth. The Greeks were great at using stories to diagnose human behavior and our tendency towards self-fulfilling prophecy is one of them. Think about King Saul. He could have chosen any number of ways to respond to David. He could have chosen humility and rejoiced in the victories David won. He could have graciously chosen to relinquish his crown and endorse David for the throne. He could repented of his sin, asked God for forgiveness, and perhaps lived out his life in peace. Sadly, Saul did what we all do. He fought his pre-ordained fate with all his might. And the harder he tried to hold on to power, the more it slipped through his fingers. The more he focused on killing David, the more his behavior became erratic and evil. Decisions that would have once been unthinkable - like killing Ahimelech and the priests of Nob - suddenly become more rational in the mind of an irrational person.
I’ve seen this dynamic play out in my own life and the lives of those I love. The more we resist the will of God for our lives, the more we bring all kinds of negative consequences upon us. I think about a conversation I had recently where the person is struggling with so much anxiety and fear. Rather than turn to God for comfort and peace, he chooses alcohol and marijuana and ends up not only feeling worse but broke as well! I think of another conversation where the person is working so hard to do so much good in an underserved area with a challenging population of young people. They come home exhausted every night. They are in their twenties and already exhibiting a lot of signs of burnout. But rather than turn to God for strength and wisdom, they keep Him at arm’s length, determined to do it themselves. I think of how many couples I’ve counseled over the years who could have saved their marriages if they just took the time to humble themselves, ask for forgiveness for the mistakes they made, listen more attentively to each other, and make a few changes to how they operate. Instead, they chose messy divorces and spent tons of money on legal fees and the ripple effect financially and emotionally stayed with them for years. It’s painful to watch.
Think about your own life. Where are you actively resisting the will of God? Where do you need to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand? Where do you need to turn to Him for strength and wisdom, peace and comfort today? What’s stopping you? Is it pride? Fear? Confusion? Potential embarrassment? Let me encourage you with all my heart to repent! Ask God for forgiveness. Open your hands and heart to Him. Let Him lead and guide you on new paths.
Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays