Gospel Reflections #974: It's not Necessarily about the Visible Results

1 Samuel 22:5 ‘The prophet Gad told him, “Do not stay in the stronghold; go out into the land of Judah.” So David went to the forest of Hereth.’

At that time, David was taking refuge in the ‘fortress (Mizpah)’ of Moab.

Although it was a safe place to escape his pursuers, God’s prophet Gad would not allow him to remain there, but commanded him to return to the ‘land of Judah’, which was under the rule of his enemy, King Saul.

This was a call for a change of direction, urging him to walk not by his own wisdom for safety, but by trusting in God.

To return to the dangerous land of Judah may seem reckless from a human perspective, but it was also a test to demonstrate that David, as the rightful leader of Israel, was protected by God.

This passage is often cited as a symbol of the courage to take a step forward in obedience to God’s word, rather than clinging to ‘one’s own safety measures’, even in difficult circumstances.

We, too, are content with comfortable situations and environments, clinging to security and safety.

But that is Laodicea. By remaining immersed in what we consider ‘enough’, we cease to feel the need to seek God earnestly.

God was leading David out of a spiritual crisis of ‘lukewarmness’, guiding him to depend on God rather than on himself.

We, too, are receiving the same guidance from God as David did.

Taking a step out of our comfort zone to experience instability in the unknown is because God does not place emphasis on our success or visible results, but rather on trusting in Him, entrusting ourselves to Him, and walking with Him.

The more we come to know what kind of God He is, the more we will trust Him and accept His inscrutable calling, allowing the Holy Spirit to enable us to take that step forward.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.