When waiting feels overwhelming and uncertain, we’re reminded through Saul’s story that trusting God’s timing with obedience and faith leads to greater peace and purpose than taking matters into our own hands.
I don't know about you, but there are a few things I dislike more than waiting.
It doesn't matter if I'm stuck in traffic, waiting in the grocery pick-up line, or waiting for an answer to prayer; delayed answers, confrontations, or resolutions have often brought me much anxiety and stress. Why? Because I like to be in control. I like to have predictable outcomes. I like knowing the answer to what comes after A (the answer is B). And yet, life rarely happens on this type of schedule.
A Biblical Example: Saul’s Restless Waiting
In 1 Samuel 13-14, King Saul encountered this type of waiting. Though he reigned for 42 years as King, war continued in Philistia. Saul knew that defeating this enemy would take wit, strength, and a powerful army. So, he selected 3,000 special troops to fight and sent the rest of the men home. Two thousand men went to Micmash, and 1,000 went to Gibeah.
Jonathan, Saul's son, then attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. Because of this news, Saul commanded the Hebrews to revolt. Everyone in Israel heard this news, and the Philistines' hatred for God's people continued to grow. The Philistines then mustered 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore to attack the men of Israel. Being hard pressed by the enemy, the men of Israel tried to hide or escape into the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, stayed in Gilgal.
Quickly, great fear swept over Saul and his people. He knew that Samuel had instructed him to wait for the Lord, but as the enemy grew stronger, time seemed to stand still. His troops were rapidly slipping away, and he didn't know what else to do. You can almost hear Saul asking the same questions we do when the waiting makes us weary:
-Where is God?
-Is he going to show up?
-Should I take matters into my own hands?
-What if we're defeated?
-What if the enemy wins?
-Where is Samuel?
-Will he keep his word?
Sadly, taking matters into his own hands (as many of us sometimes do), Saul sacrificed a burnt offering himself—a task reserved for priests or those chosen by God for this special task. Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. You can immediately hear the regret in his voice: "What is this you have done?" (1 Samuel 13:11, NLT).
Like many of us, Saul comes up with an extensive list of excuses:
-My men were scattering.
-You didn't arrive when you said you would.
-The Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle.
-I had to act.
-I had to ask God for help.
-I had to take matters into my own hands.
These reasons sound familiar, don't they!?
Consequences of Disobedience
And yet, Samuel's words pierce deeply: "How foolish! You have not kept the command the Lord gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people because you have not kept the Lord's command" (1 Samuel 13:13-14, NLT). Phew! A little harsh, right? Yes and no.
We're all called to have the highest allegiance to our Creator King. When he asks us to do something, we must do it with total surrender and full obedience. But that means that even when the waiting gets tough or makes us weary, we're still called to listen and obey, not take matters into our own hands.
It's tempting. I get it. Like Saul, my mind races when answers are delayed or things don't seem to be happening when I thought they would. And yet, I know this: God's plans are not my plans. God's ways are not my ways. But God always knows best. He has insight I can't see. He has a plan I won't always understand. His way is better a thousand times over.
If you read the rest of Saul's story in 1 Samuel, you'll see that by the time Saul met up with his troops, only 600 men were left. Not only that, but only Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear because the Philistines wouldn't allow blacksmiths in the land of Israel. But God.
God used Jonathan to devise a plan and defeat the Philistines. But because of Saul's disobedience, he would still be replaced as King by a man after God's own heart.
What We Can Learn From Saul
Today, I think this harsh lesson teaches us three things:
1. Don't grow weary in waiting.
2. Don't rush into decisions.
3. Don't take matters into your own hands.
Friends, if you struggle with seasons of waiting, please know you're not alone. I'm right there with you. Many in the Bible struggled to wait on the Lord. And yet, Saul shows us the consequences of taking matters into our own hands.
Getting weary while waiting is absolutely normal. I want to normalize that. Waiting is hard, painful, and often excruciating. But nothing good ever comes from rushing into decisions or taking the reins when God is already in control. Instead of being restless in the waiting, remember that impatience can lead us away from God's best. When we act in fear instead of out of faith, we reject the good plans the Lord has in store for us.
Remember, God is still in control, even when it doesn't feel like it. No matter your past or present waiting, you have a choice, a beautiful invitation to trust in Him again. It isn't always easy, but we can rest assured that His way is better.
As Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (NIV). Not only that, but He will fulfill His purpose for us! Psalm 138:8 says it this way: "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands" (ESV).
Will you grow weary in the waiting? More likely than not, you will. That's just part of the human experience. But it's what you do in that waiting, who you put your trust in during those times, that shows where your allegiance lies. Are we trusting in ourselves, or are we trusting in the one who created us?
Like Saul, we all have a choice. But it's my prayer that when the waiting gets tough, we will remember one thing: Our God is faithful, and He keeps no one waiting unless it's good for them to wait. He is never early or late, but he is right on time.
Will that time always seem right to us? Not at all. But that's the beauty of trusting in His ways over our own. Because at the end of the day, we're ultimately surrendering all that we are to the one who's always been in control all along.
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