“…therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.”
1 Samuel 28:15b
Saul is scared. His enemies are mounting against him. He’s made one bad decision after another, and now he’s faced with a new predicament. Furthermore, the one man–David–who saved Israel from the Philistines years prior by defeating their champion with a stone and sling has now made a complex alliance with these very same enemies, the Philistines (1 Samuel 27). Now, David is living among them, having been granted a town in which to live. Saul is alone, and he’s afraid for his life.
Saul is desperate. His options are running out. Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, has died, and now his very own inquiry of the Lord yields him no response. He’s without hope, his enemies are coming against him, and instead of turning to God in complete repentance, he turns to necromancy (the attempt to speak with the dead through witchcraft).
What is Saul thinking? He’s between a rock and a hard place, and he turns once again to means contrary to God’s design and decree. Instead of coming to God with a heart of humility, he seeks an immediate way to deal with his unfavorable circumstances. In other words, Saul becomes pragmatic.
What is pragmatism? Simply put, it’s what George Knight calls the adamant pursuit of “what works,” or at least what works in the world of measurements. It’s focusing on being efficient instead of being effective. I’ve heard it said that it’s the ability to climb a ladder quickly, but realizing once you’re at the top, you’re on the wrong building. You’re efficient in climbing a ladder, but not effective in choosing a building. In other words, pragmatism focuses on solving felt-experiential problems with experiential solutions. At the risk of oversimplifying the idea, pragmatism undermines spiritual repentance, as it prioritizes understanding truth through feelings and experience. “If it works, it must be true,” says the pragmatist.
Saul did not repent for reasons unknown. Instead, he pragmatically pursued another means contrary to God’s Word to solve his dilemma. He simply didn’t trust God.
Is it possible, in our own lives, to run to pragmatic solutions to spiritual problems? Is it possible to trust our own instincts before relying on godly counsel, prayer, and God’s Word? Is it possible to avoid biblical community and instead make critical life decisions without seeking God’s glory and how we might best honor Christ and serve others?
For example…
Is it possible to turn Netflix (or other entertainment/amusement) into a way to deal with our anxiety instead of stillness, prayer, and reading God’s Word? Or, how about exchanging having a difficult conversation with someone under your responsibility for reading a book instead? What about talking about someone without them in the conversation instead of going directly to speak with them to solve the challenge? Switching gears a little, what about holding onto bitterness over hurt caused by someone else instead of forgiving them and releasing it to the Lord? Perhaps, even, expecting others to disciple your kids by dropping them off at youth group or Sunday school instead of leading and attempting to guide them through your own family devotions? What about a church focusing on material or temporal things instead of spiritual or eternal things, i.e., elevating the experience of a congregant on a Sunday morning instead of their need for the gospel?
Obviously, there are many more examples. And so, the heart of the matter comes down to our willingness to entrust ourselves, our circumstances, and others to God. What if Saul had repented of his sins and sought the Lord with humility–like Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:26-28)? What if Saul was poor in spirit? How might his situation have changed? Instead, he goes to a necromancer to bring Samuel up from the dead for guidance and help. It’s sad, but also understandable. He had built a life of trusting his “gut” instead of his God, who chose him among all the people of Israel to be their first king. Saul’s wisdom was the wisdom of the world instead of the wisdom of God. He suffered greatly as a result.
In the book of James, we learn that to find God’s wisdom, not only does God give it to us, but He does so without shaming us for asking–even if we ask time and time again. We go to God alone for wisdom: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” James 1:5. God’s wisdom for His humble children is an endless supply.
What if, instead of resorting to pragmatism as a way of dealing with our problems, we prayed, read our Bibles, confessed our sins, walked in faith, and humbly submitted to God’s sovereign grace and outcome(s)? What if we chose, in light of God’s glory and serving others, to rest in God’s goodness as we walked through our situations? This is an impossible task, without God’s help, by His Spirit. And so, we pray…
God, help us. Help us to be spiritual instead of pragmatic (1 Cor. 2:14-16). Amen.
— September 4, 2025