How To Renew Your Faith | 1 Samuel 12:19

Are you drifting in faith without even realizing it?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 12. I've titled this chapter "God is Faithful When We Are Not."

In the story, Samuel is giving his farewell address to the people. He just explained to them that their request for a king was wicked, but he also explained that if they and their king (Saul) remain faithful, they will be blessed. Then Samuel emphasized the proof of this prophetic address by calling on a storm that would have been highly unusual in the summer season, and then it rained down on all of Israel. In shock, here is how the people responded in verse 19:

And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.”  — 1 Samuel 12:19

To me, the most interesting part of this response is the use of the personal pronoun "your." The people plead with Samuel to pray to "your God" or "his God." There is no question that Samuel has faith in God. His entire address began with evidence of his faith and faithfulness to God all the days of his life. What's in question here is everyone else's faith in the nation because of their sinful request.

All people are prone to the drift of faith. We drift because we take our "spiritual eyes" off the object of our faith. We then focus on other things and place our faith in them. In this situation, the people have put their faith in a political and military leader, which is a timely warning given our election cycle.

The drift of faith is a personal issue with far-reaching implications (in the case of Israel, it is having national implications). But the drift begins on a personal level. We divert our gaze from God and place our faith in other things. For some, we put too much faith in a person. For others, we put too much faith in our skills. For still others, we put too much faith in material security. But whatever it is, we move from trusting in God to trusting in another object. Once this drift begins, we fail to experience the personal nature of faith in God, and then God becomes impersonal (like he has become for Israel) because we have moved from him.

If you feel like this drift is happening in your life, then turn your attention back to God. Whatever object is distracting you from God, stop giving it your attention. Stop placing your faith in it and the temporal outcomes it might provide. Then, renew your faith in God, who can provide better and lasting outcomes. Give him your full attention; give him all your faith, which will result in you getting to know "your God" more personally and intimately.

God, help me to redirect all my attention and place all my faith in you. Amen.

#FaithRenewal, #TrustInGod, #OvercomingSpiritualDrift

Ask This:
In what areas of your life have you noticed a drift away from trusting in God, and what steps can you take to refocus your faith on Him?

How can you identify and address the distractions that are causing you to place your faith in things other than God?
Do This:

Share the seen events of God with others.

Pray This:

Lord, help me to recognize when my faith drifts away from You and give me the strength to refocus on Your unwavering presence. May I trust fully in You, placing all my hope and faith in Your eternal promises. Amen.

Play This:

Stand In Faith.