Choosing My Way or God's Way

I’ve been reading through I Samuel again. I love how so much of David’s story is about before he became king—living and learning in light of a future promise. 

Anyway, I was in I Samuel 24, reading again how Saul was chasing after David and went into the very cave where David and his men were hiding in order to relieve himself.  David, of course, cut off a piece of Saul’s garment, though his men urged him to kill the man who sought to end his life. David not only chooses not to harm his enemy, but also persuades his men to not to rise up against Saul. He does however, tell Saul what he has done (or rather, refrained from doing.) 

Then I read this in verse 10: “Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord had given you today into my hand in the cave . . . and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’” 

Do you know what struck me about that verse? The Lord delivered Saul into David’s hand. David recognized that. But David didn’t assume that was an opportunity he was meant to capitalize on. He still had a choice. Was the Lord offering up Saul for David to kill him—or was he offering up Saul to see if David would trust Him and His plan, to see if he would show compassion to his enemy? 

I don’t know about you, but often if a situation falls in my lap—especially one of deliverance from hardship—I, like David, assume the Lord has done it. However, I rarely stop to ask myself if moving forward and springing myself from adversity is the Lord’s will in that moment. I just do it, thinking more of my own comfort than of God’s plan. But maybe I need to take a lesson from David. Maybe I need to stop, to talk to the Lord in spite of an advantageous (to me) situation and make sure it is His way. Like David did.