There are several stories in the Bible that amaze me whenever I read them. One of those is the story of Samson when Delilah wants him to tell her where he gets his strength from.
Have you read the story lately? If not, find your Bible and read the story in the Book of Judges chapter 16. It starts with Delilah asking him the following question: “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you.”
Delilah honestly asks what should be done to harm him, and what can be done for Samson to lose his strength. And yes, after asking Samson tell her what can be though. He does not tell the truth, but he tells her that if he is bound with seven fresh bowstrings, not yet dried, he will turn weak.
Samson repeats his mistakes
After telling this Delilah binds Samson while he is sleeping and then she brings his enemy upon him. Luckily Samson did not tell the truth, so as the enemy come he tear the strings apart and beat his enemy. After this he for sure understood the intention of Delilah, meaning that he would never reveal his secret to her. However, the opposite is true! After lying three times to Delilah about the origin of his strength he gets so fed up with her asking, complaining and crying, that he give her the real truth about the origin of this strength. The fourth as the Philistines come upon him to take him, he has no strength to resist and is taken captive.
Are we all behaving like Samson?
I am still amazed as I read the story of Samson. How could he be that stupid? However, I felt as if the Lord shed some light on the story once as he asked me how often I fall back into the same mistakes, sins, and temptations over and over again. You make a mistake the first time, and feel terrible about it and promise yourself never to do it again. But, then the temptation comes at you again at a time of the day when you feel weak or tired, and suddenly… you feel into the same pit again. Rising up you tell yourself never to go back into that pit, but then after a while, the temptation returns. Maybe you resist once or twice, but the third time it is so easy to fall again. Maybe we all follow the pattern of Samson somehow?
Do you have kids? Have you ever had them ask for something once, and you immediately said no. Then they ask again, and again, and again... And after ten times you cannot stand against anymore? I have... And as I give into their requests, I kind of feel like Samson again!
Repentance and Gods grace
Samson lost his strength and he was forced to do hard labor for the Philistines. But, with time his hair grew back. On a big celebration in a Philistine temple Samson prayed to God using the following words: “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God.” He repented, asked for Gods grace and help and it returned. Even though he had fallen and walked against the will of God, Gods grace was enough to raise him up again and give him his strength back.
If you have fallen and done the same mistake time after time, do like Samson and pray for Gods help to rise up. God loves you and wants to help you start over again. And even though you have committed mistakes does not mean that God wants to punish you. Just consider the fact that Samson after his final prayer did more damage to the Philistines than he had done throughout the rest of his life. God has great things in store for you, even if you have failed him over and over again!