The great heroes in the Bible blow it just like me. It makes me feel better knowing that as godly and righteous as they were, they were far, far from perfect. And God still used them.
Samuel walked with God for a long time, but in 1 Samuel 16, God has to correct him. Samuel has been mourning for Saul because he was rejected by God as king. God says to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel?” In other words, “Get over it, Samuel. Stop thinking about Saul. Focus on Me and what I’m doing.”
I find it to be a daily battle to keep my eyes on God. My circumstances, my feelings, everything around me is screaming out, “Look over here!” Just as certain billboards can captivate us, so do confusing or painful circumstances, financial challenges, difficult relationships or unmet needs and desires. Staying focused on God and His promises doesn’t come naturally.
After God tells Samuel to get over Saul, He sends him to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king. God says, “I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons as king.”
But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.”
I’m always on the lookout for the word “but.” It often signals a problem is lurking, as it does in this case.
What was the problem? Samuel was fearing Saul, not God. His eyes were on man and his circumstances. When that happens, we often ask the “How?” question. How will this work out? How can I do this? How will this be possible? How can I pay for this? How will I make it?
When we get our eyes off God, circumstances loom large and seem insurmountable. “How?” questions dominate our thoughts. We lose our joy and peace.
God gives Samuel some additional instructions and sends him to Bethlehem. “I will show you what to do. You are to anoint the one I indicate.” God doesn’t explain everything and doesn’t even mention Samuel’s concern about Saul.
God’s words were enough to refocus Samuel though. It says, “Samuel did what Jehovah said.”
God can always be trusted. He’s got everything under control. He’s not concerned about “How?” When He gives us a mission, He already knows what He’s going to do. He knows what resources will be required. He knows who or what we will need protection from.
No need for “buts” or worrying about “How?”