Faith

A Lesson about Backsliding and Community From Samson

All the memories I have of stories of Samson from my Sunday school days is how he was a very strong man. He was used by the Lord to judge Israel for many years. Then, he fell in love with Delilah and she led to his downfall.

Recently, I was looking at the story of Samson again and I realized Samson’s fall was not a drastic one. Samson was a different person right from birth because he was Nazarene. There were prophecies about his birth that came with instructions on how he should live his life. Hence, I imagine that he would have had a different childhood and upbringing since he could not indulge in most of the things his mates did. Also, throughout his recorded journey there was no evidence that Samson had close friends or a community.

Yes, Samson had his parents, but something kept drawing him to the philistines and the laps of their women... Click To Tweet

Who were his friends? Who advised him when he was going off tangent? Who did he have to turn to when he was betrayed by his Philistine father-in-law? It seems to me that Samson suffered from some sort of loneliness and kept going back to the laps of the Philistine women for some comfort.

I have pondered many times how and why Samson told Delilah his source of strength when she had betrayed him over and over again. I mean, he surely must have known that there was a possibility that she would give out his secret once she knew, yet he told her. Could it be that Samson was exhausted and wearied by the burdens he bore and lack of community? Maybe…

Is there a Samson in you?

God in His infinite wisdom created man and said it is not good for man to be alone. I am not speaking of marriage here; I am speaking of community. In this day of so much opportunity for connectivity through technologies and all, it is very ironic and sad that people are lonelier than ever. Especially men.

A lot of men bear so much burdens from the family, work and even church front and because of the unhealthy stereotypes around men, they find it difficult to open up or seek comfort.

Dear brothers and sisters, this life is hard enough to go through alone as a human. It is even harder trying to run this Christian race alone... Click To Tweet

We were made for community. Please love and let love. Do not allow yourself to be overcome with exhaustion as was  Samson and do not allow loneliness to drive you to the laps of a Delilah whose specialty is wrecking the destiny of a man. Intentionally work towards finding a community that will be a safe haven for you.

How Do you find a community?

– Pray

You can never underestimate God’s ability to network us and bring the right people into our lives. You can start by praying for God to send you the right people.

You can never underestimate God's ability to network us and bring the right people into our lives. Click To Tweet

– Be Friendly

You also have to be friendly. He who wants friends must first prove himself to be friendly.

– Be open and vulnerable

Also, be open and vulnerable enough to share and receive strength. It is an amazing thing that you serve and give of your time and all to the work of ministry- but you should also allow yourself to be ministered to.

Be open and vulnerable enough to share and receive strength. Click To Tweet

– Get involved in your local assembly

Don’t be that person who just comes to church for service and leaves ones the service is over. Who has no friends, knows nobody and nobody knows in his church. Association in your local assembly is God’s design to keep us accountable. Our Pastors are like shepherds, they watch over us.

Don't be that person who just comes to church for service and leaves once the service is over. Who has no friends, knows nobody and nobody knows in his church. Click To Tweet

God didn’t design for us to do life alone. He created us for communities. Let us make up our minds to be safe havens for people in our lives and also work towards being comfortable with vulnerability. Maybe like Samson, you may have missed it and now you wonder what hope is left for you. Like it was in the case of Samson, God is a God of restoration even when it looks like all hope is lost.

Do turn to Him today, restoration awaits!

Shalom.

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