Fear Not! A Guide to Living a Fearless LifeНамуна

Don’t Lose Heart

“Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. So he said, ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.’ And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. ‘What have you done?’ asked Samuel” (1 Samuel 13:7-11, NIV).

The Philistines were encamped close to Saul and his troops. The Philistines were “as numerous as the sand on the seashore” (1 Samuel 13:5, NIV). Saul let his fear show, and his men saw it and started to flee. He then compounded his problems by not waiting on Samuel and offered up the burnt offering himself. Saul responded to Samuel’s question as to why he did this by saying, “I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering" (1 Samuel 13:12, NIV), and Samuel replied, “You acted foolishly" (1 Samuel 13:13, NIV).

Aristotle once said, “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.” Saul lost the battle over self. His pride was eventually his downfall that led to his demise. Shortly after this event, God told Samuel to go to Jesse and anoint one of his sons to be the next king of Israel.

What can we learn from Saul’s situation? The old adage rings loud and true: “God is seldom early, but He is never late.” We live in a society that is anything but patient. We want it and we want it now!

Waiting on the Lord is never easy, and if you have pride issues like Saul, you think God could probably use a hand. Don’t get ahead of God. Abraham and Sarah didn’t wait on God and took things into their own hands, using Sarah’s maidservant Hagar to bear them a child. At the right time, God did open Sarah’s womb, and she conceived a child, but they had to wait until the appointed time.

Is there something you’re waiting on from God (e.g., healing, job, baby, spouse)? “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14, NKJV) In that same Psalm, David said, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord” (Psalm 27:13, NKJV). Whatever you’re waiting on, don’t lose heart, but believe you too will see God’s goodness.

Prayer: Lord, You know the things I’ve been waiting on. Help me not to lose heart, but to believe I, too, will see Your goodness. May I be patient and not try to get ahead of You. I know Your timing is always perfect. In Jesus name, amen.