Can't Wait? Beware the Fatal Consequences!

People say, waiting is the most boring task of all. Especially if what we are waiting for never comes. Time keeps passing; the longer we wait, the more impatient we become. The deeper our patience is tested. How long must we wait?

Yet, there may be a reason behind all of it. There may be something good that is happening. If we patiently wait, there may be some good that comes from it. This time, we will learn from a man who lost so much because of his impatience. Who was he? He was Saul, the first king of Israel.

It Started with Failing to Wait

Saul was the first king of Israel. God chose him, and Samuel the prophet anointed him. He was the son of Kish, a wealthy and prestigious man (1 Sam. 9:1). He seemed destined for a great life.

Then Samuel gave him this command.

1 Samuel 10:8 "You must go down to Gilgal ahead of me, and take note: I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait seven days, until I come to you and tell you what you must do.”

Samuel gave the command for Saul to wait for his arrival. On the seventh day, Samuel would come to offer the burnt offering and the burnt offering. Did Saul obey Samuel's command, that priest? 

1 Samuel 13:8-9 "He waited seven days, until the time appointed by Samuel. But when Samuel did not come to Gilgal, the people began to scatter and leave him."

So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.

It turned out that Saul was impatient. Under the threat of the Philistines who were about to attack, and the people who were afraid, Saul began to feel pressured. At that moment Saul acted rashly and offered the burnt offering and the peace offerings himself.

Saul chose not to obey. The result? God rejected Saul as king (1 Sam. 13: 13-14).

Why Was Saul Impatient to Wait?

Who would have thought that Saul's impatience would cost him so dearly? What can we learn from Saul's attitude?

1. Pressured by the People Around Him

When the enemy was ready to attack, the people panicked. They began to scatter, and they started leaving Saul. It may be that the people thought their king could do nothing. And Samuel, the priest, did not seem likely to come that day. 

Unable to withstand the pressure, and perhaps to please his people, Saul used his own way. Saul felt he had to offer the sacrifice, even though only a priest was allowed to do that.

At times, we may experience the same thing. When there is pressure from the people around us, we are tempted to sacrifice obedience to God. 

For example, when your superior asks you to lie. You are asked to do work in a dishonest way, or you are asked to make certain excuses that are not true. What will you choose: follow your superior or keep your integrity ?

A principle about obeying God can be learned from the attitude of Peter and the apostles. 

Acts 5:29 "But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”

As they stood before the religious council, the apostles held firmly to their commitment to obey God rather than men. They chose to please God's heart, even if it cost them their lives. 

Like the apostles who were not afraid of being hated by others, so should our conviction be to please God more than pleasing people.

2. Pressured by the Situation

Besides pressure from the outside, Saul also felt pressure from within. In the end, he made the wrong decision.

Perhaps we too often experience this. Difficult situations often make us look for shortcuts. We take whatever seems to be a solution or a way out, whether it pleases God or not. What does the truth say?

Deuteronomy 11:1 says, “You shall love the LORD your God and faithfully keep your duty to Him by always holding fast to all His statutes, His rules, and His commandments.

The verse above emphasizes that God expects us to love Him and always do all His commands. In every situation, including very difficult ones, we are to keep doing His Word. 

Perhaps you are trapped in a difficult situation. For example, your finances are declining while your needs keep increasing. Are you tempted to seek income in the wrong way? Or will you keep working as well as you can in the right way and depend on God?

Do not let difficult circumstances tempt you to disobey His commands! Instead, difficult circumstances can become an opportunity for you to rely more on God.

Obedient Waiting = Obedience to God

Saul's impatience in waiting may seem trivial. However, the consequence he had to bear was very heavy, namely losing his position as king.

From this we learn that our attitude in waiting for God's promise will show our true heart. Will we remain faithful and patient in waiting until His promise becomes real? Or will we use our own way?

Let us keep waiting in faith. Let us not lose God's promises just because of our impatience! -  Related Articles:

• The True Formula of David's Trust
• Obedience Is Simple
• The Quality of God's Chosen People
• The Nation of Israel: The Battle of Faith vs. Fear
• 2 Traps of Living Right: Becoming Super-Obedient or Super-Free?

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