95. Trust In The Giver, Not The Gift

Judges 16-18

And she said, They Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.   Judges 16:20

God gave Samson a great gift and instructions on how to use it. Samson was given immense strength, but there were certain rules he had to follow to keep it. Samson got so focused on his strength and what he could do and get with it, that he forgot that it was the Lord that gave it to him and was with him that allowed him to use it. He didn't even know that the Lord had departed from him when he woke up because he thought to himself that he would go as at other times and win the victory with his strength. Like Samson, God gives each one of us gifts. A spouse, a home, physical things, grace, mercy, love, etc. Every good gift comes from God and there's nothing wrong with any of those things. The problem begins when we start to trust the gift more than the giver. Do you become so focused and dependent on the gifts that God has given you that you forget God? Do you go about your normal day confident because of all the good things you have? When trouble comes, where is your trust? Do you know when God is with you? Or are you so blinded by what you can do that when hard times come you act like he's not even there? Unlike the Old Testament times, the Lord is always with you if you are his child, but you can live in the flesh instead of being filled with the Holy Spirit thereby not drawing your strength from Him. God is the giver of all good things. You need to be thankful for what He has given you but trust in Him alone, not the gifts.

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