Stirring Potential BY CH (MAJ) W. LEE FRYE, JR.
And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him… (Judges 13:25a) God’s own heart was stirred for us when we were lost, and He sacrificed His Son. Today, He stirs our hearts for others. —Jason Berry Do you want to be remembered for the potential of what might have been or done? Or, are you willing to allow God to change you into what He wants you to become? Recently, while reading through the book of Judges, I was reminded of the tremendous God-given potential and strength Samson possessed. Not many people have started life with credentials like his. Born as a result of God’s plan in the lives of Manoah and his wife, Samson was to accomplish a great work for God, to deliver Israel from the Philistines. To help him accomplish God’s plan, Samson was given enormous physical strength. However, Samson wasted his enormous strength on practical jokes, disobedience, and trying to gratify fleshly desires. Therefore, we tend to remember him for his failures. We remember him as the judge in Israel who spent his final days grinding grain in an enemy prison, and we think, “What wasted potential!”
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ONE | DECEMBER 2020 - JANUARY 2021
Think about all the things Samson could have done. He could have strengthened his nation. He could have returned his people to the worship of God. He could have wiped out the Philistines. Yet, even though Samson did none of those things, he still accomplished the purpose announced by the angel who visited his parents before his birth. In his final act, Samson did his part to rescue Israel from the Philistines. Today, when we read the New Testament, it does not mention Samson’s failures or his heroic feats of strength. He is simply listed in the book of Hebrews, along with others “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice and gained what was promised.” In the end, Samson recognized his dependence on God and prayed the Almighty would stir his strength, one last time. When he died, God turned his failures and defeats into victory. What stirs your heart? These things may indicate areas where God wants to use you. God uses a variety of means to develop and prepare us: Scripture, the Holy Spirit, parents, churches, schools, friends, articles (like this one), and even personal experiences. Although I cannot relate to all of Samson’s life struggles, I can relate to the Lord stirring my heart and struggling to find courage to step out in faith. Early in life, after accepting Christ, the Lord began to stir my heart with the desire to preach His Word. I remember sitting in the front row of our church, watching pastor Bob Prichard’s every move. I thought, “Wow! I want to do that Lord!” I even started to dress like him,
