And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. – 1 Samuel 15:22, KJV

In 1 Samuel 15:3, God commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all of their possessions. Saul, thinking better of it, decided to save the Amalekite king alive as well as the choicest sheep and oxen. You see, Saul had plans of his own; he thought he had a better way to handle things than God’s way. In return for doing things his way, Saul paid a heavy price: God ripped the kingdom from him and gave it David, a “man after God’s own heart.”

What has God commanded you to do that you have decided to put your own twist on? Has he told you to go to church to learn more about Him, yet you refuse? Has he told you to reconcile with someone that has wronged you – or perhaps that you have wronged – but you won’t? Has he given you a special mission that you have refused to embark on because of laziness, fear, or stubbornness? God is merciful, but he expects to be obeyed. If you, like Saul, prefer your way rather than God’s, BEWARE: God may eventually put you on the shelf in favor of someone after His own heart!