So Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were insignificant in your own eyes, that you became the head of the tribes of Israel? For the Lord anointed you as king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are eliminated.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Instead, you loudly rushed upon the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord!”

How could this happen? Many have wondered this when learning about a leader that fell due to sin and poor judgment. It is hard to make sense of how a person can appear so zealous for God but act otherwise. We are grieved and hurt when we hit situations like these. These situations can bring about a lot of questions and sometimes even stir up doubts about God.

When Samuel saw Saul dishonoring God, he was grieved and disappointed. He questioned Saul to try to understand the why and how of the situation. As he struggled, Samuel looked to Saul for answers, but the answers never came. It was only when Samuel’s attention was back on God that he was able to move forward.

When we wrestle with leaders that come and go, leaders that disappoint, and leaders that go directly against the God we love, it can be easy to simply seek a new leader to find a solution to our pain. But just like with Samuel, God calls us to look to Him in our struggle. He is unchanging when our leaders change; He remains faithful when all others turn away. He is worthy of honor and praise, even as we face disappointment. People will always disappoint us in some way, but God never changes. He hears us in our struggle and draws near as we wrestle with the things we don’t understand. Thankfully, He is the One we truly need when we struggle with this kind of disappointment.

• When have you been disappointed by a leader? What happened? How did you handle it?
• How can you look to God when people disappoint you? How does it encourage you to know you can go to God who is always faithful?
• Pray and thank God for His faithfulness and ask Him to help you keep your eyes on Him as other people come and go.