Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

When called to the throne, Saul lacked knowledge and had
serious defects of character, but the Lord granted him the Holy
Spirit and placed him where he could develop the qualities that a
ruler of Israel needed. If he had remained humble, every good
quality would have grown stronger, while evil tendencies would
have lost their power. This is the work that the Lord will do for all
who consecrate themselves to Him. He will reveal to them their
defects of character and will give them strength to correct their
errors.
When he was first called to the throne, Saul was humble and
did not put trust in himself, but success made him self-confident.
The valor and military skill he displayed in delivering Jabesh Gilead
roused the enthusiasm of the whole nation. At first he gave the glory
to God, but afterward he took honor to himself. He lost sight of his
dependence on God, and his heart strayed from the Lord. This
prepared the way for his sin of presumption at Gilgal. The same
blind self-confidence led him to reject Samuel's reproof. If he had
been willing to confess his error, this bitter experience would have
protected him in the future. If the Lord had separated Himself
entirely from Saul at that time, He would not have spoken to him
again through His prophet, entrusting him with a definite work to
perform, so that he might correct the errors of the past.
When Saul persisted in stubbornly justifying himself, he
rejected the only means God could use to save him from himself. At
Gilgal, the religious service he performed in direct opposition to the
command of God only placed him beyond the help that God was
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