TEXT: 1 Samuel 13:1-14,Proverbs 14:29, Colossians 3:12
When Saul became King over Israel, he chose an army for himself and begun to fight the enemies of Israel. In the context above, the Philistines had come against Israel so powerfully that the troops of Saul despaired. When the battle got so tough they hid themselves in caves and thickets, amidst rocks and in pits. Only a few fear -stricken ones remained with Saul. Alarmed by the turn of events, Saul’s patience ran out after seven days of waiting for Samuel to come and perform his priestly duty of asking favour from the Lord. Things were getting out of hand and Saul made a desperate move and performed the duty of the priest. He acted in a hurry when he saw his people scattering away and the enemy getting closer. He acted foolishly .He made a wrong move. He couldn’t wait a little longer for the prophet to arrive and as a result he lost an opportunity for his Kingdom to be established for ever. His impatience cost him his position as a King and prompted God to replace him and retire him prematurely as the King of Israel.
Are you under pressure to make any decision in your life right now? This is a very delicate time for you. When it seems like your life hangs on the decision you are needed to make please do not be in haste. Remember that every decision you make has a consequence. Do not be moved by peoples’ reactions and expectations to make a critical decision. Saul messed up and cut -short his Kingship journey because of the people around him. Maybe if he had shifted his attention from the people and all that was happening around and fixed his eyes on God, the outcome could have been different. Even when time seems to be running out always slow down and figure out exactly what you are getting yourself into. Never be in a hurry to make decisions that matter in life. Do not act foolishly just to prove a point or out of desperation. Learn to weigh options carefully before you take giant leaps in life. Decisions concerning your family, career, ministry or even business and other crucial aspects in life are not to be done in a hurry. This is because some of the decisions the moment you make them it will be too late to change your mind and that could be the beginning of a life full of regret for the remaining days of your life.
When you are in a hurry, you are bound to make mistakes. You will have no time to capture important details and you might not even fully examine available options. The moment you slow down ,you will no doubt make new discoveries about some things, places or even people that you may miss in a hurry. When you are not in a hurry, you are sober enough to do a thorough evaluation about a situation and as a result make a sound judgement concerning it.
I challenge you to reconsider before you make that important decision in your life. Take time and be sure that is actually the will of God concerning you. You might need to consult further or you may need to take some time and ponder over it again and wait and trust God to order your steps. Better still, you may need to shut out the noise you may be hearing from people and take moments to hear clearly from God. Whatever situation you find yourself in ,never make a decision out of desperation because sooner or later you will have to live with the consequences of your choice and it may be too late to make amendments.
Selah.
Read verses that teach about patience here.
