Scared Out of Your Wits
Today’s Verse:
And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. ~1 Samuel 21:10
Have you ever been so frightened or scared of a situation that you were scared out of your wits? In other words, you were overcome with so much fear that your thinking became confused, anxious, and unsettled? As we will see in this morning’s devotion, this can happen to the best of us when our situation or circumstance gets the best of us. This morning, we will see how the fear of man is a snare to even the best of us.
We see a desperate DILEMMA.
David is running for his life from Saul. We are told that David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul. This is the same David who courageously killed a lion and a bear on separate occasions all by himself. This is the same David who took on the giant Goliath and with God’s help defeated him with one stone sling. David is running scared. Fear became greater than his faith. He went from trusting in God for his safety to thinking he had to take matters into his own hands. When our fears become so strong and overcome us, we become desperate in our thinking and decisions. David’s fears made his praying weak, insipid, and powerless. At this moment, God was not his fortress or strong tower that in other times he found refuge in. Let us be careful of our fears making us desperate.
We see a disoriented DISCIPLE.
When fear makes us run, we must be careful what we run to. David was not only running from Saul, but he decided it was better for him to run to Achish the Philistine king. Imagine that! David ran to the Philistines thinking that he was safer among God’s enemies. David went from desperation to disorientation. Here is the man that loved God and took a stand against the enemies of God, deciding that he was safe with a nation of people who reject belief in God. When David arrived in their camp, some of the men recognized him and asked, “Isn’t this David?” David sank even lower by pretending to be a mad man, starting to act weird, and drooling on his beard. What a confusing and sad moment when God’s people have become so disoriented in their thinking that they act like mad men when they should be demonstrating resolute faith in God. Let us be careful that our fear does not so overcome us that we condescend to men of low estate.
We see a discerning DECISION.
In Ps. 34:4, we have the record of David regaining his spiritual senses and making a proper turnaround. “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” The first step to overcoming our fears is to pour out our hearts before God in prayer and give Him all of our fears. When David did this, every fear he had (and he had many) was not as big as he thought it was. Saul was still hunting him. The Philistines were still threatening him. However, David realized the remedy was not God taking away the problems. The remedy was having faith that God is greater and more powerful than our fears. It is realizing that God has a solution in His timeline for us. It is learning to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. David recognized that the “fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”
Whatever trial, problem, or situation you are facing, believe that God is greater! Believe that God will make a way for you. Don’t let your fear overshadow your life: let your faith overshadow your fear! Don’t allow your life to get to the place where you are scared out of your wits. Let God arise and watch the enemies be scattered!
Have a fearless God Morning!