The High Cost of Not Checking in with God First

When Delilah repeatedly pestered Samson over and over to know the secret of his amazing strength, little did he know that telling her the answer would soon cost him his freedom, dignity, and even his sight.

Over and over Delilah asked Samson what would make him as weak as any other man. Perhaps Samson thought that was a weird thing for her to ask, and rightfully so, because three times he gives her phony reasons for what would make him weak, like being tied up with new ropes. (Judges 16:6-9) Then each time Delilah does that very thing to him. (the third time while he slept.) Each time Delilah cries out in fake surprise, “Samson! The Philistines are among us!” To which the Philistines appear, and begin attacking Sampson thinking he has become weak. Clearly there is a pattern forming here.”

What amazed me was when Delilah was pestering Samson to know the true source of his strength, after attempting to subdue him three times and set him up to be attacked by the Philistines, she wears Samson down by her nagging. Her nagging grated on Samson so much that he finally just volunteers what makes him so strong and how he could be made weak as any other man. If only Samson knew what that information was going to cost him.

What if Samson had first checked in with God, before telling Delilah his secret? What if he had first asked God, “Why does Delilah keep pestering me about this? Why is she so interested? Should I tell her what makes me so strong and what would make me weak? Can I trust her, Lord? What would you have me to say and do in this situation?"

The Bible invites us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) Had Samson first checked in with God about Delilah, God would certainly have been faithful to reveal the truth about her and clearing up any misunderstandings Samson may have had about Delilah's incessant questions.

Consider all the grief Samson would have been spared if had simply taken a minute to check in with God through prayer.

• He wouldn’t have known weakness (Judges 16:19)

• He wouldn’t have been overtaken by his enemies who were dying to seek revenge on him (Judges 16:21)

• He wouldn’t have been thrown into prison, mocked, and had his eyes put out by his enemies—the Philistines. (Judges 16:21, 25)

• He wouldn’t of died among his enemies (Judges 16:30)

While we may not come close to suffering to the degree Samson did, when we forget to check in with God first, the same truth applies to us today: It is always worthwhile to check in with God first, because He knows everything and see into a person’s heart and motives in ways we never could.  

This book revolutionized my prayer life

God knows where our decisions are leading us and the consequences of particular decisions made apart from Him. 

* If you are looking for a new job, or an additional source of income, God knows which place would be the perfect place for you to work,  or how you can use the talent He's given you to help offset expenses during these uncertain times  

Lots of great ideas for making money in this book!

* If you are looking to buy a house, God knows the perfect house for you to buy. He knows which homes you’ve looked at that have secret problems or will need major, costly repairs in the future.

* If you are getting married, or your adult child is contemplating marriage, God knows that person perfectly. He knows if marrying that person lines up with His perfect will for your life. He knows if that person doesn’t truly love the Lord and will draw you away from the Lord or if the person shares your love of Jesus and will daily point you to faith and trust in the Lord.

* If you homeschool your kids, God knows which curriculum will appeal most to their learning style and make leaning fun for them. 

* When the kids are being difficult, God knows the best way for you to diffuse the situation and restore peace again. He knows the best way for you to bring out the best in your child. 

One of my favorite parenting books of all time!

* If life feels overwhelming right now, and you feel like you need some breathing room, God knows which things are the most important and which things can be deleted, or just postponed for now. He can show you what is the best use of your time. (Same concept can be applied to your finances if money is a reoccurring source of stress in your life)

Whether we are making major, life-changing decisions, or small, everyday decisions, one thing we can be certain of: we can save ourselves a lot of unnecessary frustration and grief down the road simply by checking in with God first.

If you have a Kindle app, one of my favorite devotionals is Wisdom for Today by Pastor Chuck Smith!

 

 

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Last updated Friday May 8, 2020 

 

 

 

 

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