The Appearance of Circumstances

“Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.” – 1 Samuel 13:8-13.
In this passage, Saul was being heavily pressured by the Philistine forces and all these circumstances, and the clock was ticking with Samuel not arriving. Rather than waiting for God even till the last second, Saul trusted his own timing rather than God’s. Saul knew Samuel’s timing, and his own timing, but no one knows God’s timing, and God’s timing is never our timing. Don’t let people, time, or any of these circumstances deceive you into flinching out of your trust in God. That’s what circumstances do. They try to fake a punch at you but will you flinch, or will you remain still standing for Christ? See, if circumstances can get you to flinch, then it shows you aren’t completely firm in God. If you try to fake a punch at someone and they flinch, it shows they weren’t completely firm or ready for a punch and maybe a little scared. However, if they don’t flinch, it shows that they know regardless of whether they get hit or not they will be completely fine either way. They aren’t concerned with getting hit. It shows that the person who doesn’t flinch is strong. We are to be that way. We are strong in Christ knowing that a mere punch from circumstances won’t set us back unless we let it. Is it not Christ who defies circumstances? It should be said that this only works if you are walking in God’s will. Obviously, if you are not, then you are facing these circumstances of life in your own strength which is weak compared to God’s strength. Circumstances also thrive to pressure you. Whether it be to cause worry, anxiety, fear, or anything to be a stumbling block to your trust in the Lord, they can be used to be a weapon. Don’t be mistaken. Circumstances are just an appearance. For example, if you see someone always wearing luxurious clothes and driving a luxurious car, we would assume that the person is rich and wealthy. Yet, sometimes these people are dirt poor. We judge and assume things based on appearance. Therefore, our default train of thought is to assume and judge what we are going through and dealing with by the circumstances that oppose us. Now look at what Paul said regarding circumstances.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7.
See, we live by faith not by ignoring circumstances but not letting them compel us or make us flinch. We live by faith by recognizing the circumstances and choosing to trust God instead of taking matters into our own hands as Saul did. If you live by sight then you live by seeing things as they appear. Remember that circumstances are just an appearance. Therefore, to live by sight is to live by appearances which is harmful to us. So overall, how are you going to live today? Are you going to flinch choosing to live by sight and how things appear to you? Or will you choose to hold firm not even twitching at the sight of an unfortunate circumstance understanding that living by faith is to live through God’s perspective seeing the light in all situations.