Learning to Depend on God Alone

When everything else fails, learning to depend on God alone reminds us that true security comes only from trusting Him completely.

“The Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.”—1 Samuel 4:10

Carrying the Ark of the Covenant into battle, the Israelites thought they were invincible. Yet they were defeated by the Philistines, and the Ark itself was captured. How could this have happened?

The Israelites had made a major mistake: They assumed they could trust in the Ark, and it would save them. As a result, they didn’t seek God, and He wasn’t directing them. Because He hadn’t called them to go into this battle, He didn’t bless their efforts. It was a painful lesson to learn.

Now, many people are like these Israelites. Thinking that they are religious or spiritual, they put their faith in all kinds of things—people, traditions, creeds, slogans, good works, denominations, and religious symbols.

Inevitably, these things will fall short and let us down. Only God Himself never fails. We must start every endeavor with Him and not take His blessings for granted.

David, who entered the picture soon after the battle described above, once wrote, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7). We, too, need to trust completely in God and boast only in Him.

Today, there are many temptations and distractions. Don’t put your trust in the chariots and horses of this world. Rather than being overconfident or putting your faith in the wrong things, trust in the Lord alone.

Reflection Question: What does relying on God alone look like in your daily life?