In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.
2 Samuel 11:1–2, NLT
Meanwhile, Commander Joab (and the nephew of King David) wrote this letter to his Great Uncle (and the uncle of King David), also a Royal Advisor:
Dear Grand Uncle Jonathan,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and wisdom, which our court sorely needs at this hour. As the commander of Israel’s forces, I find myself in a position that requires not just military acumen but a degree of political insight, which prompts me to write to you, given your esteemed role as a Royal Advisor and your proximity to the king, our shared kinsman [1].
I must express a growing concern that has been weighing heavily on my heart. It is the matter of the king’s complacency which seems to have taken root in his life. As you are well aware, the spring season is when kings go off to war. Yet, David has chosen to remain in Jerusalem. It is not my place to question the king’s decisions, but as the commander of his army, I feel compelled to voice my unease.
David’s absence from the battlefield has not gone unnoticed by the men, and whispers of his idleness have begun to spread. A leader’s place is at the forefront, leading his people, setting an example of diligence and valor. But what message does it send when he lingers in the comfort of his palace while his men lay their lives on the line?
Absolute power, as you have often taught, must be tempered with accountability. Without it, even the most virtuous man may find himself straying from the path of righteousness. Since David has been blessed with his extraordinary success, most subordinates, servants, and attendants would dare not question his actions. I fear this lack of accountability may lead to decisions that could harm his reign and the people of Israel.
I turn to you because Prophet Nathan, despite his insight, lacks the seasoning of years that lends gravity to counsel. Your voice, steeped in experience, is the necessary counterbalance to the king’s current inertia. I urge you to advise him, reminding him of the grave responsibilities his crown entails.
I am but a soldier, and my place is to follow orders and lead my men to victory. But I cannot fight the battles within the walls of our own palace. That is a battle only you can wage, and I pray you do so with the wisdom and courage that has marked your life.
In service to Israel and the king,
Joab
Share with your friends “How can we avoid the pitfalls of complacency?”
[1] “Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a wise counselor to the king, a man of great insight, and a scribe; Jehiel the Hacmonite was responsible for teaching the king’s sons; Ahithophel was the royal adviser.” (1 Chr. 27:32–33)
In our human nature, it is easy for us to remain in our comfort zone, but we know that in order to grow, we need to challenge ourselves and step outside of that zone. In order to avoid the pitfalls of complacency, we need to remain active in living out our purpose-at work, at home, and at church. We need to continue to stay healthy physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and socially. This may mean discerning the difference between comfort and rest. It’s important to know when it’s time to be in community and when it’s time to be alone. We need God’s wisdom and strength to live out our faith, stay active, find rest, and avoid being complacent.
We can avoid the pitfalls of complacency by having accountability with others. When we have accountability, we are always checking with one another on how we’re doing and it’s a reminder of God in our lives.
One way to avoid complacency is to surround yourself with peers who are spiritually hungry and vigorous. We are either growing in faith or withering away..there is no steady-state.
Another way to avoid complacency is to actively be disciplining/mentoring. You don’t see many obese physical trainers, right?
I think by having a growth mindset and being ready and willing to learn. I think God is constantly trying to teach us something and help us learn so by being alert will help us remove the complacency we might feel. I also feel like taking ownership in things we do also helps us avoid complacency. It is easy to get into the system of things and we become so comfortable that we don’t realize we are falling into the trap of complacency
Ah, “the pitfalls of complacency.” This is something I am all too familiar with, as I can attest to the dangers that lurk there. In recovery, continued vigilance is of the utmost importance, as we are susceptible to fall into the self-deceptive trap of thinking that long periods of abstinence from drugs or alcohol qualities us to drink or use again. I’ve done this myself, and the results were obviously disastrous. The Big Book says, “We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities.” I’ve found this to be true. No matter how many years of sobriety I may get, it is always just one day at a time. Jesus commands us many times to remain vigilant; to “watch and be ready.” In the garden, just before He is betrayed, as He goes off to pray, He warns His disciples, “watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” I have found that I must keep myself occupied with spiritually beneficial activities to stave off the “pitfalls of complacency” that lead to temptations, being drawn away by my own desires. “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death,” (James 1:15). I have experienced this process a multitude of times, and have learned that I must remain vigilant and watchful in my sobriety and in my walk with God. “It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe.” The enemy is “cunning, baffling, and powerful,” and so too is our own flesh. So I know that for me, I must stay near to the One that has all power, or else I’m doomed for sure.
I would always tell myself to not settle for what I have right now but to strive for the greater things, whether it’s my faith or life goals and everything else in between. I definitely have seen myself being complacent in my faith and the growth was stunned/put on hold for a while and I was not happy with where I was. One of the good things was I detected such stagnancy and told myself I needed to get out of this hole I was only digging myself deeper. When I feel complacent, I would reach out for encouragement from my brothers and sisters in the faith and hear how the Lord has been working in their lives. That almost always ignites a fire in me to want to grow myself into a better disciple of Him daily. It has been working quite well for me these recent months. God, I pray that You would keep me accountable with myself, to always keep my faith not only in check but to have it flourish and be fruitful of Your kingdom come
As humans, we often tend to become complacent, preferring to stay within our comfort zones and procrastinate because it’s easy and relaxed. However, I’ve come to realize that putting in hard work instead of succumbing to complacency holds significantly more value. The same principle can be applied to our spiritual journey. It’s easy to slip into complacency, thinking that we have everything figured out or that we don’t need to put in as much effort into our faith. Yet, complacency is a perilous path. It can lead us away from our connection with God and render us susceptible to temptation.
To prevent falling into complacency, I remind myself to pray regularly, read the Bible daily, be honest about my sins, maintain transparency, and practice love and compassion towards others.
From Teri
I think we all need to be reminded that God is in control and the blessings that’s bestowed to us is all from God. He can give and also take away. Because as humans, our nature is to sin, we have to constantly evaluate our heart and to steer away from sin when presented with a scenario like that of David’s. Because of our sinful nature, it is not hard to succumb to temptation. We need to pray to ask God for guidance, wisdom, and strength so that when presented with the opportunity to sin, we will be able to resist.
As human beings, it is natural to stay in our comfort zones and experience complacency, but it is crucial to recognize that our accomplishments come from God, and we shouldn’t take them for granted. One effective way to avoid the pitfalls of complacency is by being open to feedback. Learning from other perspectives and making adjustments can help us achieve even bigger goals, especially when we seek to grow our faith in God; in such cases, having meaningful conversations is essential to ensure our faith remains stable.