“And he awoke from his sleep and said, ‘I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had left him.” (Judges 16:20 ESV).
Samson had grown so used to God’s blessing and power that he took it for granted. Time after time, he had defeated his enemies and escaped danger. But his strength was not his own. It came from the Lord, who had set him apart for a holy purpose. By continuing in disobedience and giving himself over to Delilah, Samson finally broke the last visible sign of his vow to God. His hair was shaved, and the Lord departed from him.
The most tragic part of this story is not just that Samson lost his strength. It is that he did not even know the Lord had left him. He assumed God was still with him simply because God had always been with him before. He mistook God’s past faithfulness as a guarantee of His present power. That is a dangerous place for anyone to be.
Samson’s story serves as a warning for us. We too can drift from God gradually and not even realize how far we have gone. We can get so comfortable with outward success that we forget to look to God as the source of our blessing. We stop praying as we should. We stop listening for His voice. We begin to trust in our own wisdom and effort. Then when the pressure hits, we find ourselves weak, wondering where God has gone.
The good news is that even when we forget God, He is still near to all who call on Him. As Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” We don’t have to wait until everything falls apart to seek the Lord. We can return to Him now. For the Lord says He will never leave nor forsake us, but sometimes He lets us experience life on our own to remind us to come running back to Him.
PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us for the times we have moved forward without seeking You first. We confess that we have often relied on ourselves and forgotten how much we need You. Thank You for Your mercy and Your patience with us. Help us to remain close to You, to listen for Your voice, and to walk in step with Your Spirit. Keep us from drifting. Teach us to live each day in full dependence on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.