Choose obedience (4)

"[David's men] said to him, “This is your chance! The LORD has told you that he would put your enemy in your power and you could do to him whatever you wanted to.” David crept over and cut off a piece of Saul's robe without Saul's knowing it.

But then David's conscience began to trouble him, and he said to his men, “May the LORD keep me from doing any harm to my master, whom the LORD chose as king! I must not harm him in the least, because he is the king chosen by the LORD!” So David convinced his men that they should not attack Saul."

~ 1 Samuel 24.4-7 GNB

David was loyal to a fault. He spared Saul and then later Saul chased David again to kill him.

Saul was a bad leader for Israel and the LORD annointed David to replace Saul. The sooner the transition, the sooner the LORD's plan can go into motion. But David did not want to topple Saul and instead prolonged Saul's kingship.

In this story, David wanted to feel righteous by not harming Saul. But by doing that, David failed to follow through on the LORD's plan.

Obedience involves difficult decisions. I ought to rely on the Holy Spirit's wisdom.