Session 6

What is the secret to success?

From 2 Samuel: A 5-Week Devotional

The old farmer was frustrated with his new-fangled saw, and there was no way he could cut two cords of wood a day as promised.

“This saw is broke!” he exclaimed as he sat it on the counter, demanding a refund. The puzzled store owner applied the choke and pulled on the handle and the chainsaw roared to life.

We are designed by God to depend on His great power. 

“What’s that?” asked the old farmer. He had been operating the saw the entire time without the use of the engine. Just as a chainsaw is designed to be used with the engine running, we are designed by God to depend on His great power.

Before defeating Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, David tells him, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands...for the battle is the Lord’s.” In 2 Samuel 8, we continue to see David’s reliance on God’s power in his successful military pursuits. He knew that God’s power was greater than his own and that his success was not because he was great, but because his God was great.

As absurd as it seems to use a chainsaw without the power of the engine, we often try to control the circumstances of our lives without relying on God. Our power is limited while His power is limitless. God wants us to rely on Him in all areas of our life so that His power can be felt by us and seen by others. Let’s turn our lives and daily circumstances over to God and let His power create our success.

Reflect:

• What area of your life are you reluctant to turn over to God?
• Why do you feel you are so resistant to relinquish control to Him?
• Pray and ask God today to help you resist relying on your own strength and to trust His power in your daily life. What is one thing you need to do to give God control of that area?