The only thing that can abort God’s wonderful purpose for you is the sin of stubborn pride. We see this in the life of King Saul.
Scripture tells us that God’s Spirit was on this man from the day the prophet Samuel saw him coming down the road. God had called Saul, and he was using him, but something in Saul was emerging quickly: an arrogant pride. Saul would not confess or admit his sin. Instead, he blamed others to justify his actions. He was more concerned with keeping up appearances than with what God thought of him.
Beloved, the difference between David and Saul was pride. Think about it. King David, who ruled Israel after Saul, sinned as grievously as Saul did. David even killed another woman’s husband to cover up his sin, but he quickly repented before God. When Nathan the prophet pointed out David’s dreadful act to him, he didn’t justify it. Rather, he immediately cried out, “God, don’t take your Holy Spirit from me! All I want is to please you. I know I have failed you but please forgive me. Cleanse my heart.” (See 2 Samuel 12:13 and Psalm 51.)
When Saul was caught in sin, however, he grabbed hold of Samuel’s skirt and cried, “Don’t take my kingdom from me. Please stand with me so I won’t look bad in front of my people.” (Read 1 Samuel 15:22-35.) Saul was more interested in what the people thought about him than in having grieved the Holy Spirit.
Beloved, it is pride and a haughty, immovable spirit that brings us down. A broken heart, a contrite spirit, captures the heart of the Lord. It does not matter what you have been through or how you have failed God. If you run to him and weep it all out after you have failed, he will stand with you. He always stands with those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
We all fail the Lord; no one in his church is perfect. Yet every time we are unfaithful to him, he remains faithful to us.