1 Samuel 15:17,  Samuel then said, “You may be small in your own sight, but you are head of the tribes of Israel ~ the Lord anointed you king over Israel!

In this passage, Samuel is calling out King Saul. God had given Saul a clear command to destroy the Amalekites, but instead, Saul and his men pounced on the plunder and kept King Agag alive. Saul didn’t fully obey, and in doing so, he led the people into sin.

On the surface, Saul was the King! He had God-given authority over Israel, but inside, King Saul lacked confidence in who God said he was. He took matters into his own hands, not out of strength, but out of insecurity. If you read through 1 Samuel you see this pattern throughout his leadership: Saul was jealous and easily felt threatened by those who walked closely with God, and he was obsessed with public opinion. Ultimately, Saul’s disobedience stemmed from a heart that wasn’t fully surrendered to God. He valued what people thought about him than what God said.

You cannot waste time worrying about whether others believe in you or your calling. The Almighty God believes in you ~ He created you and He knows exactly what you are capable of. Don’t allow anyone to keep you boxed in.

God is constantly moving forward. Don’t lock yourself into one thing, very few people are called to do one single thing for their entire lives.That one thing may be the base to all He calls you to, but He is always working to grow you into more. If you remain open, you’ll find that God uses every task to teach you something new. Some of the most successful people are those who can move when God says, “Okay! Let’s go! I am moving you into something new!” Just make sure God is leading and that it is His timing you are following. Honestly, I have had times when I knew something had to change, especially as I juggle ministry and personal finances and I pounced on the first thing that came along because it appeared to be “right.” That doesn’t work either because satan loves to drag us away by presenting something that is good and it appears on the surface to be our answer but just because it’s good that doesn’t make it God’s best. I jumped into one business thinking it was the perfect answer but what I didn’t know was that I would have zero time for anything else! I found myself working from 8 AM sometimes until 2 AM. No, that was not from God! The lesson here is Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Follow Him!

If you are struggling with a decision or with your confidence in who God says you are then get alone with Him. Spen time in His Word and in prayer. You don’t have to figure it out on your own, He is asking to guide you. Limit who you allow to speak into your life and seek God’s face. He loves you and He already has the best plan for what lies ahead. Let me just say ~ you will not always understand where or why He may be leading you in a certain direction so just trust Him. While that isn’t always easy, especially if everything around you appears to be falling apart, but if you are waiting to “know and understand” all He is doing and what may lie ahead you will be stuck. Following Him requires surrender and getting to know Him so you trust Him regardless of what your circumstances look like. God’s words to Joshua apply to you as well, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) That would be a great verse to write on a 3×5 card and carry with you for those moments when you start to question. He is trustworthy and He loves you so much so follow Him knowing that His best is yet to come for those who love and follow Him!