What If I Always Made Good Decisions?

And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 1 Samuel 30:8

I’ve often wondered what my life would have looked like if I’d have simply always done what God wanted instead of doing whatever I wanted. How much pain and misery could I have avoided if I’d have just gone to God with every decision, seeking and following his plan. I often say that I’m thankful for my addiction, because it showed me my need for following God. What if though, I’d have just lived that way from the start? I think I could have skipped a lot of pain and suffering.

As displayed in today’s passage, following God was simply a way of life for David. In the story, David and his men returned home to find it had been attacked by the Amalekites who carried off his two wives. David didn’t respond impulsively, but rather sought God’s will. Shall I pursue after this band? Though he was assuredly tempted to be driven by his own fear or anger, David didn’t run away or lash out according to his feelings. Rather, he turned to God to guide his behavior. What do you want me to do? Then, he obeyed.

But God doesn’t talk to me like he did to David. I can complain that God doesn’t speak audibly to me but still, I know what he wants of me. I have the Bible. I know that God desires that I abandon my self-destructive nature so that I may follow Christ, loving those he’s put in my life. I know he wants me to read, pray, and seek his will daily. And I know that the more I invest in our relationship, the more I understand his plan. I can’t claim that because I don’t hear an audible voice, I’m unable to know God’s will. I know how God wants me to live.

The challenge today, is to continue to grow, learning to ask this question constantly. What does God want me to do here? This is the lifestyle modeled by David and it’s the life I want to live. I’ve learned painfully that my way is disaster and that God’s way is life. So, today, and every day, I must learn to make my decisions, not according to my will, but according to God’s. Daily, I must ask, What do you want me to do? Then, I must obey.