Samuel said, “What have you done?”

And Saul said,… “I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.”

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly… But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” (1 Sam. 13:11-14)

Saul was religious. He didn’t say, “Forget this offering stuff, the old man is too late. Charge!” He knew he needed God’s favor and he knew the people knew it too. And Saul didn’t violate the religious rules lightly but forced himself. He was desperate. He knew he needed God’s favor if he had a chance in the upcoming battle.

The problem was Saul’s heart, his desires. He believed God, he believed God’s prophet, he trusted the religious ceremonies. Where he failed was in seeing all of those things as a way to get more of God. Instead, he saw all of them as a way to make sure God got him what he was after. And so God replaced him not with a man who knew the rules better, but with a man who sought God first.

It was fear of the Philistine army that uncovered where his heart really was. What do you fear that might uncover your heart?