TRUST THE PROCESS

1 Samuel chapter 16







Today we are walking in: Trust The Process







Judges 9:15




And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust H2620 in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.





TRUST




Today we look to the word- TRUST- H2620- ḥāsâ- a primitive root; to flee for protection; figuratively, to confide in:—have hope, make refuge, (put) trust.





The Torah testifies………….




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The Prophets proclaim………….





Isaiah 26:4




Trust H2620 ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:






Jeremiah 7:14




Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust H2620, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.






Micah 7:5




Trust H2620 ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.






The Writings witness…………...





Psalm 73:28




But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust H2620 in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.





Proverbs 28:25




He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust H2620 in the LORD shall be made fat.





Job 13:15




Though he slay me, yet will I trust H2620 in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.










Trust the process




There are times when The Most High puts things in our hearts (dreams, aspirations, goals) and He gives them to us right away. There are other times, and this seems to be the majority, when The Most High puts things in our hearts and then makes us wait.




Often, we can wonder what The Most High is doing. We can begin to ask, “Did I really hear from The Most High?” Or perhaps the biggest question we can ask is, “The Most High, what is taking you so long?”




I have found that during those times of waiting, The Most High prepares us for His promise. During our waiting, He teaches us things. He grows our character, our faith, and our ability to do what we feel called to do. The Most High takes us through a process. The question is, “Will you trust the process?”




Fiveamprayer, Will You Trust the Process?




In 1 Samuel 16, The Most High came to Samuel and told him, “I’ve rejected Saul as king. Go to the tribe of Jesse where I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”




Samuel was a prophet, but it didn’t take a prophet to assume that anointing another king while Saul was on the throne might not go well.




Samuel responded to The Most High and told him that he would be killed if Saul found out. The Most High then said, “Take a cow and put together a sacrifice to me and invite Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.”




When Samuel arrived in Bethlehem to speak with Jesse, the elders in the town were afraid. After all, when a prophet appeared in those days, it meant there was trouble. Samuel told them, “Don’t worry. I’ve come to make a sacrifice to The Most High, and you are invited.”




Chosen By The Most High




Jesse, his sons, and the whole town showed up to watch the sacrifice. As Samuel watched Jesse’s sons arrive, he had a hunch about who The Most High had in mind for the new king: Eliab, the oldest son.




1 Samuel 16:6 says, “When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the The Most High’s anointed stands here before the The Most High.”




Samuel probably had his reasons for considering Eliab for the throne. He was the oldest and would have been first in line to receive his father’s inheritance. He was also probably the tallest and most physically fit out of Jesse’s sons. With all this to frame his thinking, Samuel thought Eliab was definitely the one The Most High had in mind.




1 Samuel 16:7 says, But the The Most High said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Most High does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but The Most High looks at the heart.”

So, one after the other, each of Jesse’s sons passed in front of Samuel.




How about this one? No.

This one? Nope.

This one? Nope.

Until all seven had passed in front of him.




Finally, Samuel asked Jesse, “Are there any more?!”




1 Samuel 16:11-12 says, “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”




So, Jesse sent for his youngest son, David, and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the The Most High said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”




The Process Brings the Promise




After reading about his anointing, I assume David takes the throne immediately. If this story was a movie, Saul would be instantly kicked off the throne, and David would be carried in on the shoulders of his people to begin ruling that day. But, that is not what happens. Samuel anoints David, and then the story stops. There’s a break in the story. You may ask, “What does that mean?”




When this part of the story ends, the Bible tells us that David went back to what he was doing before: watching the sheep.




There’s a part of us that wants to say, “Well, that doesn’t make any sense! Why would The Most High anoint him and then send him back to where he had him before? What was the point of anointing David anyway? Why not wait until He was ready to make David king?”




The Most High anointed David so long before he became king because The Most High wanted to take David through a process, and the anointing was a reminder of the promise that the process would bring.




Things Have To Change




A process is a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.




The Most High knew that some things needed to happen in David’s life before he could be king. Likewise, there are some things that need to happen in our lives before we can step into what The Most High has for us.




When I think about processes, I’m reminded of a story I heard about the Chinese Bamboo Tree. The tree begins as a nut planted in soil and must be watered and fertilized every single day for five years before it finally breaks through the ground.




All that time, it spreads out its roots, and if at any time the watering or fertilizing process stops, the Chinese Bamboo Tree dies in the ground. But, in that fifth year, the Chinese Bamboo Tree finally breaks through the ground and grows to nearly ninety feet tall in just six weeks! The tree must take five long years of developing a strong, deep, wide root system so it doesn’t topple over when it is grown.




We tend to get frustrated when we don’t get five-year results immediately. The truth is, though, that the process is essential, and everyone must go through the process to get results.




The question is, will you allow the waiting to develop you or embitter you?