Group Check-in

1. What was the best part of your week?
2. What was the most difficult part of your week?

What’s 1 Samuel 13 About?

1 Samuel 13 is the beginning of Saul’s unraveling. Faced with a growing Philistine threat, Saul grows impatient waiting for Samuel to arrive and offer the sacrifice. Rather than waiting for God’s timing, he takes matters into his own hands and offers it himself. The moment Samuel arrives, Saul tries to justify his disobedience: ‘I saw the army scattering… you were late… the enemy was near… so I forced myself.’

But Samuel sees right through it. He tells Saul that his kingdom won’t last, because he has not kept the Lord’s command. Saul loses the legacy he could’ve had—not because he was weak, but because he was unwilling to wait and obey.

This chapter teaches us that obedience delayed or altered is still disobedience. Saul looked the part of a king, but lacked the heart of one who trusts God fully. He feared losing the people more than he feared dishonoring the Lord.

We often face the same temptation. When things don’t go according to plan, we rush to fix it, make a move, or take control. But faith sometimes means waiting, even when others are walking away. Saul’s story warns us that success in the moment doesn’t justify disobedience in the process.

God is looking for people after His own heart—those who will trust Him, wait on Him, and obey Him even when it’s hard. Saul couldn’t wait. But will we?

Key Verse

“You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you… now your kingdom will not endure.” — 1 Samuel 13:13–14

SOAP for the Week

Passage: 1 Samuel 13:8–14

Ice-Breakers

1. When was the last time impatience got the better of you?
2. What’s your go-to reaction when plans start to fall apart?
3. When have you learned the hard way that taking control wasn’t worth it?

Group Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think Saul felt justified in offering the sacrifice himself?
2. How does fear of people affect our decisions to obey God?
3. What does this story teach us about the cost of impatience?
4. How does obedience protect us from long-term consequences?
5. What’s an area in your life where you’re tempted to act without waiting on God?
6. How can we cultivate the kind of heart God is looking for—a heart that trusts even in delay?

Practical Takeaway

Delayed obedience is still disobedience. Trusting God means waiting when He says wait and moving only when He says move.

Prayer

Lord, help us trust You in the waiting. When pressure rises and fear grows, teach us to rely on Your timing and obey Your voice. Shape our hearts to follow You no matter the cost. In Jesus’ name, Amen.