1 Samuel 13:8 He (Saul) waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him.11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue…
Saul knew better. But Saul didn’t act based on what he knew. He reacted based on what he felt. And that reaction cost him his kingdom.
Recently, I found myself very anxious about a situation with a friend. I tried to think of all the things I could do to make it better. Then, I realized it wasn’t God leading me to” fix” it. It was my insecurity pushing me to react. My own fear of “people scattering from me” had consumed me.
Saul trusted his own efforts more than he trusted God’s timing. I was doing the same thing. I had already done everything I could do but I wanted to do more. One more call…one more text.
But this time, I didn’t. I prayed. I waited on God to move. And He did.
What situation are you dealing with where you feel like, “I gotta do something!” Have you thought about stepping back and letting God step in instead?
The issue at work with a difficult boss? Work as unto the Lord and He will take it from there. That conversation that you’ve had over and over again with your spouse? You’ve expressed yourself respectfully and with grace. Let God speak to their hearts now. The attempt at reconciliation with a family member? Do your part, love and forgive…then trust that God can make a way there too.
How different would Saul’s story have been if he just stepped back? How different would our stories be?
God has a way of moving in situations that goes beyond anything we could do ourselves. We just have to trust Him and His timing. Don’t let fear tell you otherwise. ~Anu
