The Samson Syndrome

“And she [Delilah] said, the Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.” Judges 16:20

Let’s face it; there are some things that we are just good at! You know it; those around you have witnessed it; and admiration and promotion has resulted because of it. When it comes to things God has anointed us to do, not only are we effective and efficient, often it is effortless. However, when assurance turns into arrogance, we stumble and fall.

A closer look at this verse reveals that (1) Samson began to think he was the source of his strength, not God; (2) his faith was in his gift (strength), not in the giver (God); and (3) Samson’s relationship with God grew so cold he didn’t recognize God was no longer with him. How often do we share in God’s glory? When operating in God’s anointing, do we trade serving the Giver with our gifts for the pleasure of enjoying the benefits our gifts bring apart from the Giver? Finally, do we become so engrossed in what we have been called to do, that we neglect the One who called us?

God has made an awesome deposit in each of us. As we exercise our gifts, may we continually bow down to the Giver. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of time before we fall victim to the Samson Syndrome.

Grace and Peace.