Monday Motivation

---

Growing up, I heard the phrase: “Beware what you wish for.”
Usually, it came from my parents or a seasoned adult in my life when I was wishing for something I thought would fix everything—freedom, independence, status, or even just something as simple as wanting to grow up faster.

It was a cautionary phrase. A warning wrapped in wisdom.
They were trying to tell me that not all that seems great is really that good.
That what looks appealing at first glance might carry a weight I’m not ready to bear.

Been there?
Wished for a promotion, a relationship, a lifestyle—only to find it came with stress, baggage, or regret?
It’s a common thread in all of us. We desire what we think will make us whole, satisfied, or seen. But more often than not, it’s not about the wish itself—it’s about the why behind the wish.

That brings us to a powerful cautionary tale in the Bible. One that starts with a national wish—and ends with national regret.

Let’s take a deeper look at 1 Samuel 9.

In 1 Samuel 8, the people of Israel were restless. They wanted a king. Not just any king—a king like all the other nations. That line right there says everything. They weren’t asking for leadership. They were asking for identity, security, and validation—from something other than God.

God had been their King. Their Deliverer. Their Provider. But now, they wanted a man—someone tall, powerful, and charismatic to lead them into battle and represent them. They weren’t rejecting Samuel. They were rejecting God (1 Samuel 8:7).

Still, God gave them a warning: a king will rule harshly, take your sons and daughters, demand your resources, and become a burden. But the people still insisted. So, God gave them what they asked for.

And that’s where we meet Saul in 1 Samuel 9.

From the outside, Saul looked like the perfect answer to their wish. Scripture says Saul was “as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel,” and he stood “a head taller than anyone else” (1 Samuel 9:2).

To the human eye, he looked like a king.

But that’s the danger, right?

We often want what looks good instead of what is good.
We chase charisma over character. Image over substance. Flash over faithfulness.

God saw the hearts of the people and knew they wanted a leader who would give them the illusion of strength. So, He gave them Saul—not because he was the best, but because he was what they asked for.

And sometimes, that’s how God teaches us.

Interestingly, Saul didn’t come onto the scene in a blaze of glory. He was just a young man sent by his father to look for some lost donkeys. The journey was simple and seemingly insignificant, but it led him to the prophet Samuel.

It was there—on a seemingly routine day—that Saul’s life changed forever. Samuel anointed him king.

But here's the twist: Saul never actually found the donkeys. Someone else did. He never completed the mission he was sent on. That detail isn’t accidental—it’s prophetic. It foreshadowed the kind of king Saul would be: a man who looked the part but struggled to complete the task. A leader chosen, but not fully surrendered.

So, what does all of this mean for you and me?

It’s this: Be careful what you wish for when your heart isn’t aligned with God’s.

Sometimes, God allows us to have what we’re craving—not as a gift, but as a lesson.
The promotion that brings more stress than joy.
The relationship that pulls you away from your purpose.
The spotlight that exposes more than it elevates.

God knows that the desires of our hearts reveal our spiritual health. When we want what everyone else has more than we want Him, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment.

Wishes aren't bad. Desires aren't sinful. But desires not filtered through the will of God can lead us far from His best.

Before you chase the next big thing, pause and ask:

• Is this desire rooted in faith or comparison?
   
• Is this something God is calling me toward—or something I’m chasing on my own?
   
• Am I asking for a king when I already have The King?
   

Sometimes God gives us Saul to show us we really needed David.
Sometimes He lets us walk into what we wanted so He can walk us back to what we needed—Him.

So next time you hear that whisper in your heart, “Beware what you wish for,” remember this: God doesn’t just care about what you want. He cares about why you want it—and what it might cost your soul.