A FRIGHTENED LEADER
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Fear marked the life and reign of Saul, the first king of Israel.
From the day on which he was proclaimed king, when he was found hiding among the supplies (see 1 Samuel 10:22), to his ongoing struggle with “a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear” (1 Samuel 16:14, NLT), from his relentless pursuit of David to his tragic death in battle, Saul struggled with a sense of inadequacy.
While he did lead the army of Israel to victory on a number of occasions, on the whole, his temptations to uncertainty and fear did not work well for him as a leader or for the nation he was trying to lead. Samuel—and God—persisted with him, encouraging him to be more steadfast in his calling and faithfulness. They urged that God had chosen him to be king, and that should be sufficient grounding for him to become a true leader.
“Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel?” (1 Samuel 15:17). But by this time, when Saul confessed that his fearfulness included fear of the men he was trying to lead, Samuel made clear to him that God was already looking for someone else to be the next king—which probably didn’t help Saul with his insecurities, self-doubt, and despair. Had God made a mistake in choosing Saul to be king? He had moments of victory, of being connected and committed to God, and of strong leadership. But it seems Saul chose to place his trust—more correctly, his lack of trust—in himself rather than in the God who would have helped him grow in the leadership role He had given him.
