June 7 – Be Careful What You Ask For

JUNE 7 – Be Careful What You Ask For

3-Year-Bible Reading: Proverbs 17:12–13; 1 Samuel 8

//3-Year Bible Devotional Book (Year Two) Available on Amazon

//

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“Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly. If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.” — Proverbs 17:12–13 (ESV)

“But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the Lord.” — 1 Samuel 8:6 (ESV)

“And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Obey their voice and make them a king.’” — 1 Samuel 8:22 (ESV)

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Have you ever begged for something you thought would make your life better—only to regret it later? That’s exactly what happened with Israel in 1 Samuel 8. They wanted a king because they thought it would solve their problems and make them like other nations. But God knew it would bring challenges they hadn’t considered. In Proverbs 17, we’re reminded that foolish choices can lead to lasting consequences, especially when we ignore God’s wisdom.

Sometimes we want things our way—fast answers, shortcuts, or decisions that make sense in the moment—but God sees the bigger picture. When Israel demanded a king, they were choosing their own way instead of trusting God’s. Like them, we face moments when we have to decide: will we trust God’s plan, or will we push for our own?

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THINK ABOUT IT

1. God Knows Best: How can you learn to trust God’s plan even when His answer to your prayer isn’t what you expected (1 Samuel 8:6)?

2. Watch Your Choices: Proverbs 17 warns about foolish decisions and returning evil for good. How can you make sure your choices lead to blessing rather than regret?

3. Pray Before Acting: Samuel prayed before responding to Israel’s request. What decisions in your life right now need prayer before action?

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BOTTOM LINE

When we trust God’s wisdom over our own desires, we avoid the regret that comes from rushing into decisions without Him.

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PRAYER

Heavenly Father, help me to trust Your plan even when I want things my way. Teach me to pray first, wait on Your timing, and choose wisely so my life brings honor to You. Keep me from decisions that lead to regret, and guide my heart to follow Your wisdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Welcome to Bible Chat, where we
have devotional conversations

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rooted in Scripture and relevant
for today, June 7th.

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Be careful what you ask for.
Have you ever wanted something

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so badly?
A relationship, a certain

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opportunity, a particular
outcome, and prayed for it,

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pushed for it, and maybe even
got it, only to realize it came

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with a cost you didn’t see
coming?

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Yes, that’s a real thing and
it’s not a new problem.

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First Samuel chapter 8 tells the
story of Israel demanding a

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king.
God had been their king.

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He had LED them, protected them,
provided for them in

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supernatural ways.
But they looked around at the

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other nations with their human
kings and decided they wanted to

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be like everyone else.
First Samuel chapter 8 verse 6

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says it plainly.
But the thing displeased Samuel.

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When they said give us a king to
judge us.

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God’s response?
He didn’t force them to choose

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differently.
He warned them about what a king

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would cost them, their sons sent
to war, their daughters taken

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for labor, their land and income
taxed and claimed.

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He laid out the consequences
clearly.

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And then in verse 22, he told
Samuel, obey their voice and

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make them a king.
That’s a challenging verse.

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God gave them what they asked
for, even though he knew it

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wasn’t best.
Why?

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Because he respects human
choice.

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He doesn’t force us to trust
Him, but when we choose our way

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over His, we carry the weight of
that decision.

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Proverbs chapter 17, verses 12
and 13 reinforce this idea.

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Foolish choices, especially the
kind where we return evil for

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good or rush ahead without
wisdom, can have consequences

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that last long beyond the
moment.

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A foolish person who acts
without understanding is

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dangerous not just to
themselves, but to those around

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them.
For us today, this might look

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different than demanding a king.
It might be choosing a

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relationship because everyone
else seems to be in one.

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It might be taking a shortcut
that compromises your integrity.

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It might be pushing for decision
before God’s timing.

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We’ve all been there, wanting
what we want right now, even if

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deep down we sense it’s not
quite right.

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The invitation in these passages
is to pause to pray before you

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push.
Samuel prayed before responding

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to Israel’s request.
David repeatedly inquired of the

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Lord before making major moves.
There’s a pattern.

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They’re worth following.
Seek God before you.

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Act not after.
Your desires aren’t bad.

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God gave you dreams and desires.
But when those desires lead us

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away from His wisdom, they lead
us away from His best and God’s

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best, even when it looks slower
or different than what we

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imagined, is always worth the
wait.

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Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, help us to

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trust Your plan even when we
want things our way.

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Teach us to pray before we push,
to wait before we act, and to

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choose Your wisdom over our
impulses.

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Guard our hearts from decisions
made in frustration, fear, or

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comparison.
We believe Your plan is better

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than anything we could choose
for ourselves.

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In Jesus name, Amen.
When the battle feels personal,

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relentless, and too heavy to
name, your prayers do not have

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to fall silent.
Under Siege is a prayer script

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series for believers walking
through fear, betrayal,

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spiritual pressure and unseen
conflict.

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With a warm, faith centered
focus, these books give voice to

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the cry for help, the fight for
a steady mind, the weariness

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that longs to run, the chaos of
hostile environments, the pain

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of broken trust, and the
confidence to leave judgment in

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God’s hands.
This series helps you pray with

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discernment, endurance, and
covenant trust.

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When the pressure is real and
the path feels narrow, stand

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firm.
Pray clearly.

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Remember that God hears His
people in the middle of the

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battle.
Order now on Amazon or visit

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prayerscripts.org.
Now I invite you to spend time

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with God in today’s three-year
Bible reading plan.

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Proverbs, chapter 17, verses 12
to 13 World English Bible.

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Let a bear robbed of her Cubs
meet a man rather than a fool in

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his folly.
Whoever rewards evil for good,

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evil shall not depart from his
house.

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First Samuel Chapter 8 World
English Bible When Samuel was

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old, he made his son’s judges
over Israel.

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Now the name of his first born
was Joel and the name of his

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second Abuja.
They were judges in Beersheba.

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His sons didn’t walk in his ways
but turned away after dishonest

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gain, took bribes and perverted
justice.

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Then all the elders of Israel
gathered themselves together and

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came to Samuel, to Rama.
They said to him, Behold you are

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old, and your sons don’t walk in
your ways.

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Now make us a king to judge us,
like all the nations.

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But the thing displeased Samuel
when they said, give us a king

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to judge us.
Samuel prayed to Yahweh.

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Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to
the voice of the people in all

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that they tell you, For they
have not rejected you, but they

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have rejected Me as the king
over them, according to all the

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works which they have done since
the day that I brought them up

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out of Egypt, even to this day,
in that they have forsaken Me

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and served other gods.
So they also do to you.

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Now.
Therefore listen to their voice.

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However, you shall protest
solemnly to them, and shall show

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them the way of the king who
will reign over them.

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Samuel told all Yahweh’s words
to the people who asked him for

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a king.
He said This will be the way of

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the king who shall reign over
you.

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He will take your sons and
appoint them as his servants for

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his Chariots and to be his
horsemen, and they will run

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before his Chariots.
He will appoint them to him for

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captains of thousands and
captains of 50s, And he will

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assign some to plow his ground
and to reap his harvest, and to

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make his instruments of war and
the instruments of his Chariots.

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He will take your daughters to
be perfumers, to be cooks, and

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to be bakers.
He will take your fields, your

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vineyards, and your olive
Groves, even their best, and

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give them to his servants.
He will take 110th of your seed

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and of your vineyards and give
it to his officers and to his

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servants.
He will take your male servants,

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your female servants, your best
young men, and your donkeys and

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assign them to his own work.
He will take 110th of your

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flocks, and you will be his
servants.

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You will cry out in that day
because of your king, whom you

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will have chosen for yourselves,
and Yahweh will not answer you

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in that day.
But the people refused to listen

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to the voice of Samuel, and they
said, No, but we will have a

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king over us, that we also may
be like all the nations, and

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that our king may judge us and
go out before us and fight our

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battles.
Samuel heard all the words of

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the people, and he rehearsed
them in the ears of Yahweh.

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Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to
their voice and make them a

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king.
Samuel said to the men of

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Israel.
Everyone go to your own city.

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Thanks for joining us on Bible
Chat, where Scripture meets

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everyday life.
If today’s devotional encouraged

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you, share it with a friend and
be sure to follow the podcast so

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you won’t miss the next
conversation.

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Until next time, stay rooted in
truth, anchored in hope, and

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walking daily with Jesus.

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