He Went to the Lord for Advice

He Went to the LORD for Advice

Hook
How you act when you are upset says a lot about you.

People will get on your nerves, step on your toes, disappoint you, and sometimes deliberately hurt you. In those moments, your response reveals more about you than how you behave when everything is going well.

Scripture

“Samuel was very upset with their request and went to the LORD for advice." (1 Samuel 8:6 NLT)

Explanation
Israel asked for a king, and Samuel was deeply upset by their request. Yet he did not lash out at them, give them a piece of his mind, pay them back in their own coin, or try to teach them a lesson they would not forget.

He went to the LORD for advice.

Samuel teaches us what to do with our pain, frustration, and disappointment: take it back to God in prayer.

This agrees with James 5:13: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.”

There is another important lesson here. Samuel was upset with their request, not necessarily angry at the people themselves. He was able to separate the people from the issue.

Sometimes, we do the opposite. Instead of addressing the issue, we attack the person. We turn a disagreement about what someone has done into an attack on who they are.

Samuel shows us a better way: deal with the issue without destroying the relationship.

Application
When people upset you, resist the urge to react immediately. Before you speak, retaliate, or make a decision, take the matter to God.

Ask Him for wisdom to distinguish between the person and the problem. Address the issue without attacking the personality. Seek a solution rather than seeking revenge.

When you are upset, let prayer become your first response, not your last resort.

Reflection
What do you usually do when you are upset—react to people or retreat to God?

Prayer
Lord, help me to take my pain and frustrations to You before I take them out on others. Give me wisdom to address issues without attacking people. Teach me to respond with grace, even when I am upset. Amen.

Discussion Question
How can we learn to separate the person from the problem when we are angry or disappointed?

Have a fruitful day.

(Dr.) Emmanuel Okoro
(aka Dr. Lift)

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