Samuel was quite saddened by Saul’s moral failure and God’s subsequent condemnation of the king. He was so troubled that the Lord had to rouse him from his state of depression and grief. Saul was overcome by grief so deep that the Lord allowed him to be troubled by an evil spirit. He must have felt some guilt over his sin even though it did not lead him to repentance. Perhaps he felt sad at the loss more than at the sin. He could not get rid of his guilt and so it ate at him. He could not accept God’s just judgment and grew bitter.
Although grief is often appropriate and helpful, it can become excessive and harmful if we wallow in it for so long that it stops us from moving on or it makes us bitter, angry and resentful. The Lord wants us to grow close to Him in these times of sorrow so that we may grow spiritually. Sometimes we need a fellow believer or a push from God to come and jumpstart our lives.
In the case of Israel, the Lord commanded Samuel to anoint a new king. Doing the Lord’s work is always a helpful way to overcome grief. It allows us to forget our troubles and see our role in God’s kingdom. Samuel went to anoint a man after the Lord’s own heart: David the shepherd. The Spirit of the Lord enveloped this young man in such depth and power that his singing and prayers, his very presence overcame the evil spirit in Saul and soothed his mind.
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