“Joab defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom” (I Kings 2:28).
Joab had withstood his greatest test, remaining faithful to King David by not following after the fascinating leadership of upstart Absalom. Yet, toward the end of his life, Joab turned away to follow the less attractive leader, Adonijah. He overcame to temptation to follow the man who was poised to take over David’s throne, but hitched his wagon to a far weaker and more cowardly leader.
Past victories are no guarantee of future success.
In my younger days, I loved to raft over some rather challenging currents, including the Royal Gorge of Colorado. The temptation was always to focus hard on navigating the big rocks in the middle of the river, the sudden drops, and intense rapids. But it was what came after the drops and rapids that posed the greatest danger – the undercurrents.
Pay close attention to the undercurrents of your recovery. Like Joab, you may have just overcome a mighty temptation. You may have navigated some really choppy waters. But never forget . . .
Past victories are no guarantee of future success.
Recovery Step: Stay focused.
