Faith for Flourishing

David was a man after God’s own heart. He was a shepherd boy who became a great king, but he was also a flawed human being who made mistakes. However, David was always quick to repent and turn back to God.

One of David’s great mistakes was when he led his men away to battle, leaving their wives and children unprotected. When the warriors returned, they discovered that the women and children had been carried off by the Amalekites. David’s men were furious with him and were ready to stone him.

But David did not react with anger or defensiveness. Instead, he pulled himself away and into solitude with the Lord. He prayed and sought God’s guidance. After gaining insight from God, David went on to retrieve all the women and children. God had restored all that the enemy had stolen away.

David’s response to this situation teaches us a valuable lesson. When we make mistakes, we should not focus upon justifying ourselves or making excuses. Instead, we should humble ourselves and turn to God in prayer. God is always willing to forgive us and guide us through our problems.

We can learn from David’s willingness to seek God’s guidance before making decisions. When we are faced with difficult choices, we should not rely on our own wisdom or understanding. We should go to God in prayer and ask for His direction. God knows all things and He can help us make the best decisions for our lives.

We often hear that David was a man after God’s own heart because he was a worshiper. That’s true!

But he was also willing to be humbled and taught. He was always willing to repent of his mistakes and turn back to God. He also sought God’s guidance in all his decisions. We can learn much from David’s example. When we follow his example, we will be living after God’s own heart.

Here are some specific things we can learn from David’s response to this situation:

• Firstly, we should not react in anger or defensiveness when we are criticized. Instead, we should humble ourselves and seek God’s guidance.
• Second, we should not try to justify our mistakes. We should admit our wrong and ask for God’s forgiveness.
• Third, we should seek God’s guidance before making decisions. God knows all things and He can help us make the best choices for our lives.

If we follow these principles, we can learn to live after God’s own heart, just like David.