Introduction

Many people have experienced the weight of hopelessness, often leading to feelings of discouragement and defeat. When people are desperate, they look for the Lord and God has an interesting way of meeting them where they are to give them exactly what they need. God requires for us to have faith, be obedient, and surrender in order to receive His help and complete the assignment that He has given us.

Obedience requires letting go. In 1 Samuel 16, God tells Samuel not to cry for what has ended. Some of us are missing what God has set before us because we aren’t able to let go of what’s behind us. Seasons are going to end, but assignments will endure. There is a season for mourning, but when that season is over, it’s time to get up and move forward. God loves us so much that He will not allow us to stay in our broken places. Instead, He will give us a strategy, and we have to be surrendered enough to obey it.

When God gives us an assignment, He also gives us a way to walk it out. Faith requires God’s perspective. Too many of us have allowed our eyes to get us in situations that we should have prayed about first. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. It’s possible that we don’t have the right perspective because we haven’t spent personal, intimate time with the Lord.

Some of us are frustrated because we believe that God has forgotten us. But what we don’t see is that God is setting things up behind the scenes, creating an opportunity for us to step into our assignment. David was in the field being faithful to his current assignment while God was setting up his next one. Sometimes people will discard or disregard you, but God has not forgotten you. You may feel broken, discouraged, or disappointed, but God still has a vision for your life. Keep showing up, keep surrendering, and have faith that you will complete your assignment.

Getting Started

1. Has there ever been a time when a season in your life ended unexpectantly and you realized that God had something new waiting for you?
2. Have you ever felt overlooked or misjudged based on your appearance?

Let’s Get Personal

1. What’s one thing (a habit, mindset, or relationship) that was hard for you to release, but once you did, you saw why God asked for you to let it go?
2. What does it look like for you to be faithful right where you are, even if it feels unseen or unnoticed?
3. Where in your life do you need to see with God’s eyes instead of relying on your own perspective?

Take the Next Step

1. What is one way you can intentionally seek God’s perspective before making a decision (e.g., prayer, journaling, pausing before saying yes)?
2. Pray and ask God to reveal to you one area of your life that you need to surrender to Him and trust Him with the outcome.
3. Want to dig deeper? Take a look at the following passages: 1 Samuel 16:1-13.

Renew Your Mind

‘But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7