There’s no doubt that the story of Samson is a sad one. He was endowed by God with a great gift, but his appetite for earthly things led him to an untimely demise. Over a course of years, he broke all three pillars of his Nazarite vow, and when Delilah seduced him into sharing that his long hair was the key to his power, she turned him over to Philistine warriors — the very ones he had been set apart to conquer. After gouging out his eyes and sending him to prison, they held a great feast to thank their god, Dagon, for his help in capturing their enemy. As part of the evening’s festivities, they brought Samson in from his jail cell to entertain them. While he was forced to dance in front of multitudes of his captors, he finally humbled his heart and cried out to God for mercy. He asked the Sovereign Lord to remember him and grant him one last measure of vigor, and then he vowed to die with the Philistines. Jehovah responded to his prayer and filled him with strength, so he braced himself between the two supporting pillars of the temple, pushed with everything he had, and the building crumbled, taking with it thousands who were watching him from the roof, in addition to everyone inside. While this was not how anyone wanted Samson’s life to end, it’s important to recognize that the Lord had the final say. At the moment he cried out for help, God met his request with might and honored the contrition of his heart. Though he made many wrong choices that led him to that moment, He was given a chance to conclude his story in a manner that found him faithful to his calling.

My friend, while it’s not advisable to live like Samson, his life is a reminder that God’s mercy empowers you to end well. No matter how badly you’ve messed up or how far you’ve strayed from His best, He sees your struggle, and He wants to help you get back on track. When you humble yourself and call on His power, He will respond in grace and remind you that you are never too broken to be reached by His boundless love. He is not mad at you, nor is he holding your sins against you — you can come to Him today, sit at His feet, and allow His rivers of compassion to wash away your regret and shame. Even if you’ve had a rough start, finish in His strength, and your future will be full of hope!