Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do I keep doing the same old thing?” The thing could be overeating, gossiping, social media, or even talking to people who aren’t good for you. I know the struggle of wanting to do something new but finding yourself constantly going to the familiar place of comfort. Paul related to our struggles as he defines it in Romans 7:18-19 NLT: “I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”
With this verse in mind, I concur with Paul’s internal sentiment and cry, “Stop me!” We want someone or something to help us out of this life lived on repeat. Constantly doing the same thing but making no progress. Unfortunately, we find ourselves living beneath God’s best. Dissatisfied with our current state, we ask who can stop me?
The Story: 2 Samuel 6:1-10
In 2 Samuel 6:1-10, David and his army traveled from Baalah to Judah to bring back the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was on a cart and guided by Uzzah and Aiho. Along the journey, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached for the Ark. The Lord struck Uzzah dead. As a result, David was angry with God because of Uzzah. He decided not to bring the Ark to the City of David.
The Lesson
From this passage, I can hear Uzzah and David cry, “Stop me.” Uzzah thought he did the right thing trying to protect the Ark. In addition, David left the Ark because he was afraid of the Lord. From these two, we learn two valuable lessons that can guide us on our request to the stop:
- Our idea of right isn’t always right. Our minds tell us we’re doing the right thing, but is it right? Did we consult God before we acted? Who’s advice are we following? Are we doing it because we’ve done it for years? All these questions point to the fact that we’re defining what’s right instead of seeking God first. If we do the right thing at the wrong time, it’s wrong. Therefore, we benefit from seeking God in all things at all times.
- Don’t stop the plan because of fear. At the first sign of trouble or discomfort, we stop. We second-guess and assume that if something were right, trouble wouldn’t exist. Where’s that in the Bible? As long as we have permission, we can move forward until we reach our destination. For example, David had permission to move the Ark to Judah, so he should’ve kept going, but fear caused him to leave it at Obed-Edom’s house for three months. When David learned that Obed-Edom’s house received blessings because of the Ark, he went back for it. Therefore, he could’ve kept receiving blessings if he had kept on the path God had started.
So, the two questions in response to our “stop me” request are:
- Are you doing the right God thing?
- Are you moving forward according to God’s plan?
If yes to both, congratulations! If not, this is a reminder to rise up and get busy.
