When Samuel went to present Israel’s first king to the people, Saul was discovered ‘hiding among the baggage’. The Hebrew word for baggage symbolises the self-imposed limitations that hinder you from tackling the job God appointed you to do. Things like these: 1) Feelings of inadequacy. Saul’s first response when he learned he had been chosen as king was, ‘Am I not…from the smallest tribe of Israel,…the least of all?’ (1 Samuel 9:21 NIV). When you fail to figure God into the equation, you will always feel ‘less than’. Instead of focusing on your own weaknesses and inabilities, concentrate on ‘the incredible greatness of God’s power’ (Ephesians 1:19 NLT). 2) Fear of what others might think. The writer of Proverbs tells us ‘fearing people is a dangerous trap’ (Proverbs 29:25 NLT). And Saul fell into it headfirst! When Samuel confronted him for failing to obliterate the Amalekites, he replied, ‘I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded’ (1 Samuel 15:24 NLT). God’s Word assures us, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So…we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper…I will not fear what man shall do unto me’ (Hebrews 13:5-6 KJV). Once you take hold of that truth and act on it, you will find there is nothing to be afraid of. 3) Being overly pragmatic. The Bible says, ‘A double minded man is unstable in all his ways’ (James 1:8 KJV). And Saul fit the bill to a tee! When he didn’t hear from God, he took matters into his own hands and consulted a psychic. And after promising not to harm David, he repeatedly hunted him down. Adaptability is commendable, but God requires consistency and commitment.
