Don't rush, ask God by Alagbe Shenayon

After many years of studying the scripture, it took me a long time to fully understand the error of Uzzah, the Levite, who died because he tried to help and ensure the ark of God wouldn’t fall. God's anger was kindled against him, and He struck Uzzah dead.

David was angry and sad, wondering why such a thing would happen under his watch. He learned his lesson, as shown in 1 Chronicles 15:13. David understood a simple lesson in a hard way: Never rush; always ask God before taking a step! No matter how urgent the situation seems, always seek God’s guidance before acting.

David asked God, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you.” So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “God did it!” David exclaimed. “He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So they named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”). 1 Chronicles 14:10-11 NLT

Just imagine a mighty warrior like David asking God if he should fight—a man who trained weak men to become mighty, turning them into literal weapons. Yet, he still asked God if he should move.

This is a lesson we should learn from David. No matter what sphere of influence you find yourself in, always seek God's guidance before taking a step. Sometimes, the timing may not be right, and what seems like a delay might actually be a saving grace, protecting you from danger.

I have also learned this lesson the hard way, and it brought tears to my eyes. Never move when God hasn't taken the lead. The more you depend on God, the more He becomes responsible for your daily life, and He bears whatever comes thereafter. And God never leads anyone astray.

In whatever you are about to do, ask God for direction. He will always answer you. Look at what happened to David—because he didn’t rush and asked God first, "so David’s fame spread everywhere, and the Lord caused all the nations to fear David. 1 Chronicles 14:17 NLT."