1 Samuel 16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel?”….
I often get caught up in the way I think things “should” be. When things don’t go that way (from little things to big, life altering things), I often get caught up in the why. I get stuck analyzing (or obsessing or mourning) why things didn’t turn out the way I thought, the way I planned or hoped. I get so stuck in what was supposed to be (to my way of thinking) that I am unavailable for God to use me in His plan for what is or what will be.
1 Samuel 16:7a But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him….”
Proverbs 16:9 came strongly to mind as I read this chapter: “We make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” How many times have I planned what I thought to be the best course, only for God to purposefully lead me in another direction? How many times have I thought, “This will be perfect,” only to have God do something completely different? Clearly, I’m still working on actively seeking His will and not my own.
1 Samuel 16:7b “…The LORD does not look at the things people look at….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this scripture. Thank You for showing me the tendencies that I still need to work on, that I still need to submit to You. Help me—every moment of every day—to draw closer to You, to seek Your will and not my own, to trust and obey. Amen.
1 Samuel 16:7c “…People look at outward appearances, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Have a blessed day.
My faith, my life, my teaching–it's all a work in progress.