Humility Toward God

By Hannah Bolden

“When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. Word came to Saul: ‘David is in Naioth at Ramah’; so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied. Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, ‘Where are Samuel and David?’ ‘Over in Naioth at Ramah,’ they said. So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’”—1 Samuel 19:18–24 (NIV)

Have you ever believed you could find the solution to any problem? Has there been a time in your life when you decided to go your own way rather than listen to those around you? In intense moments, many of the decisions we make can be influenced by fear or anger. When we become too wrapped up in our feelings and desires, it clouds our judgment and leads to outcomes that hurt everyone. The good news is that God can intervene in miraculous ways. This is what happened to Saul when his selfish intentions overtook his ability to see God's power.

In this passage, Saul sent his men to capture David. Saul believed the men he controlled were strong enough to overpower David. As soon as Saul’s men arrived, the spirit of God overcame them, and they began to prophesy in the name of God. To gain control of the situation, Saul sent another group of men to capture David, and God continued to show just how powerful He is. Saul then sends another group of men to capture David, but once again, history repeats itself. His power is so great that not even the king of Israel’s men could withstand the truth of God’s spirit, just like Samuel and the other prophets.

After this, anyone would expect Saul to give up, but Saul was so blinded by fear and resentment that he truly believed he could do what others couldn’t. Saul pursued David himself, believing he was better and more capable. For a fourth time, God showed his divinity. When Saul arrived, even he, in all his arrogance and self-righteousness, was humbled as the spirit of God came over him. God shows humanity time and time again that His divinity is above all else in this world.

While many people believe they wouldn’t have acted as Saul did in this passage, we can still learn from his actions. There have probably been a handful of times in your life when you tried to do things your way rather than listen to God’s wisdom. We do this all the time. Even in the small things, like rejecting God’s prompt to help a stranger. Saul was so focused on his own ability to do things that he couldn’t even recognize the strength of God.

Saul's story shows us that no matter how capable we are, God’s own will for our lives will overcome everything. This is good news! We don’t have to rely on our own judgment. God’s spirit doesn’t have to intervene when we listen to His Holy Spirit. When we pause and let the Spirit of God guide us, He will lead us onto a better path for our lives.

Pause: Think about a time when you believed your own way was better than God’s. How did that situation shake out? How did God intervene and show you His way was better?

Practice: Before acting on anything, stop and listen to what God has to say. Ask yourself, “Where is the Holy Spirit leading me in this moment?”

Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for protecting me when I’m blinded by my own emotions and desires. I pray that in times of strife, Your spirit will overcome my own desires and lead me to do what You’ve called me to. I ask for wisdom to listen to and abide by so I may lift up You and Your kingdom. Amen.