Sunday Studies: Running Ahead of God

Imagine sitting in the audience of a pantomime and you're watching five characters on stage devising a plan.

In that same scene, one of the five characters walks somewhere they weren't supposed to go because they believed their idea was better than the others. 

You're now watching as the character ends up in a dangerous situation, one they didn't have to be in and will now end up having to pay the price.

Now, in a scene further along in the performance, a completely different character begins walking into the same dangerous situation as the character before him. Now you, along with other audience members, begin yelling so you can warn him: 'No, don't go there! Don't go there! Don't do it!'

This is precisely how I felt reading 2 Samuel 4: 1-12.

As I sat and read this chapter, I was shouting internally: 'What are you doing?!' 'Don't do that!' 'Didn't you hear about the fellow who went to David with Saul's decapitated head?!' 

*A bit of context: A few chapters before, a man had killed a dying Saul on the battlefield. Saul was in agony and basically didn't want his enemies to see him in that humiliating state and kill him. So, he asked the man to kill him. The man killed Saul, beheaded him and decided to go to David with, what he thought, was the ultimate prize. In my mind, I see the man walking towards David's castle saying, 'I'm gonna get paid to-day! Bringing David the head of the man who spent his life hunting him?! I'm about to be real rich!' No, sir — you're 'about to be' real executed. This man took over God's plan by killing a dying Saul - did God say that was what He wanted done?

Now, going back to 2 Samuel 4: 1-12, in this chapter, two men of the late Saul's army who were both captains and brothers, killed Ishbosheth. Ishbosheth was the son of Saul and after Saul's death he was made King by Abner, the commander of Saul's army. Now, as it happened, Abner was murdered, so, these two men thought it best to kill Ishbosheth. They then beheaded him and took his head to where David was.

There are many people in the bible who take the reigns from God and say: 'I've got an idea! God, can can You just scoot on over to the side, ah, there we go! I've just thought of a brilliant plan! Why didn't You think of this! Well, no matter — I've got this. You relax! You must be so tired from watching over all of Your children. I'll help You out. I can take care of my life from here, so, You have one less child to worry about. Aren't I so thoughtful?!'

It's easy to comment on the choices that people made in the bible — you're only reading what happened to them, you're not living what they went through. However, as soon as you look at your own life, you'll realise you've made some pretty wild choices yourself! 

We are no position to judge anyone, ever.

I know that I, too, have gone ahead of God and tried to take over situations which left me in some truly heart-breaking seasons. And the thing that really resonates with me? Those seasons didn't need to happen. I, at the time, thought my way was better and ended up figuring out that that wasn't the case, at all. 

When has going ahead of God ever worked out in anyone's favour?

There are a few reasons we may jump ahead of God: pride; lack of trust; impatience.

In this case, with 2 Samuel 4, I believe it was pride; the two men wanted praise from David for killing the King and undoubtedly to be rewarded and it resulted in both of their deaths.

Lack of trust is also a major one, and the camp that, in times when I've gone ahead of God, I've resided in. I became fearful because I hadn't seen anything happen, believing God must've forgotten or wasn't interested anymore, so, I needed to act to make things move. I didn't trust who God said He was.

Here, I feel, is where impatience trickles in. If it hasn't happened in the time frame with which you expected it, you start to feel frustrated and because you've had enough of waiting, you decide to take matters into your own hands.

Isn't it amazing how we have such a gracious God who forgives us and uses these opportunities to deepen our trust in Him and to strengthen our relationship with Him?

No matter what the feeling is, whether it's of pride, lack of trust, fearfulness or impatience, we shouldn't and can't allow these feelings to make us act out and go ahead of God. Those feelings will go when we've acted on our plan, but we'll then be left with new ones; feeling broken, being disappointed, hurt and regret. 

We have to have faith and trust in who God is above all.

Maybe you've also tried to take over situations and sit in the God chair only to find that you're left broken, disappointed, and/or hurt.

Maybe you know someone who's stepped out of God's will and timing before, and they've warned you about the the unnecessary, painful situations they've been in because of it. They share their story to warn you about what happens when you try to go above God.

Please, heed their warning.

Learn from their past mistakes.

And if you've ran ahead of God before, learn from your past mistakes.

If you feel as though you may be going ahead of God in an area in your life, remember what happened to you before. Remember the wise counsel of loved ones who've unfortunately suffered so you don't have to walk down a road that will bring unnecessary turmoil.

Pray to God for wisdom and direction and to softly bring you back to the path that He wants you on. And for God to give you the strength and patience to wait, if it seems the path He has you on seems long.

All my love

xxx