“Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way.” (1 Samuel 16:1)
When God asked him to anoint David, Samuel had already invested a lot in King Saul. At first, he didn’t even like the idea of Israel having a king, but in obedience he had anointed Saul and supported him all the way.
But now Samuel had to change course because of Saul’s disobedience. We know that this devastated Samuel, because he “cried out to the Lord all night” about Saul (1 Samuel 15:11). Saul had such a promising future, but he squandered his potential and let his people down. But that didn’t stop God. He already knew what he was going to do, so he asked Samuel: “How long will you grieve for Saul?” (16:1). Samuel had become a little too attached to Saul, and it was time to move on.
This story offers us a good lesson about letting go. It’s only natural to mourn a lost friendship, a serious illness, or a loved one’s death. It’s only natural to grieve our losses. We may even feel as if we’ll never be able to move forward with our lives.
As difficult as these situations can be, we still have to try our best to keep moving on, even if it’s only day by day. We can remember how God told Samuel to fill his horn with oil—the oil of the Holy Spirit—and “be on your way” (1 Samuel 16:1). This is exactly what Samuel did. He probably was still mourning the loss of Saul, but he pushed on in faith and obedience to the Lord. We won’t always know what God has in mind when we encounter times of challenge or suffering. We may try to second guess what God is up to, just as Samuel tried to guess the identity of the new king. But we know that if we just follow his guidance, we will know blessing and protection.
So try your best to trust in the Lord when upheavals happen. Stay close to him. Tell him that you trust in his wisdom and providence. Believe that God hasn’t abandoned you; he still loves you. He still has a plan for your life.
“Lord, I ask not to understand your will but to accept it. Teach me to see your hand in the midst of every change and challenge.”
