“The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food. (1 Samuel 14:24)
Indecision can be frustrating. Indecision is the struggle that a person experiences when they can’t decide on something. They can’t decide what to eat, what to wear, whether or not to answer that phone call. Indecision can be crippling. However, making a rash decision can leave you more frustrated. Just ask Saul. Saul was the king of Israel, but he turned out to not be a great king in the end. We get a hint of his horrible leadership skills in 1 Samuel 14. In that chapter, Saul is emboldened to wipe out his sworn enemies, the Philistines, when he notices them thrown into a panic. It was a great opportunity for Israel. However, rather than think and pray through a strategy to approach this battle Saul decides to make a hasty and unwise declaration. In verse 24 he says, “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” And the result of this was that no troops were worn down. And in the end, “Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory.”
Saul saw an opportunity and rather than take a little time to pray and plan he charges ahead and makes a fool of himself. And he was someone who was anointed by God. Now we may not be kings trying to fend off an army, but we all have decisions to make in our lives. Every day like Saul we are in a spiritual battle. Every day our enemy the devil is looking for someone to devour. And how many of us foolishly face the day thinking that our grit and effort will be enough only to fall victim to sin and evil. Instead of charging headlong into the daily battle of the Christian faith, take some time to slow down, think through the victory we have over sin because of Jesus, and pray to God for help and guidance as you try your best to glorify him.