THE HEART OF DAVID

God has a higher standard than the world’s. The world places a high price on the external, but God sees deep within. Man judges based on appearance, but God sees the heart.

When Samuel was looking for a man to succeed Saul as King of Israel, God said to him, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart,” 1 Samuel 16:7. 

The heart is the place where qualities worth having in our lives are first formed. The heart embodies the origin of our character. That’s what God sees. He sees our character and judges us accordingly. 

God Saw David’s Character 

Not as perfect, but as worthy. As clay that awaits the Potter’s hand. 

God knew David would struggle, but He also knew David would rise. That his faith would overcome his weaknesses. That he’d seek truth despite the temptations of the world. That he’d learn through hardship and tribulations the power of trusting in God.

The thing that impressed God about David was his heart. 

The Heart of David

David allowed God to mold and fashion his heart into that which would be pleasing to Him. God focused on David’s character more than his physical stature. He concentrated on his integrity.

Our physical heart is positioned by God to protect us from destructive external forces. Not so with the spiritual heart. It’s susceptible to all kinds of harmful influences that seek to jeopardize its integrity. 

That’s why we must constantly seek to develop a heart for God.

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

— Proverbs 4:23

Developing a Heart for God

Developing a heart for God is not as difficult as we think it is. It requires concerning ourselves with the concerns of God’s heart. We must develop qualities that are pleasing to God. 

Qualities like humility, mindfulness, willingness, repentance, trust, compassion, and faithfulness.

The battles of life will come. Count on it. But when we use our trials to bring our hearts closer to the Lord, as David did, God sees our character, and it is pleasing to Him.

Are the pressures of the world drawing you closer to God, or pulling you away?

Ask God to search your heart and to guide you daily into the fullness of His character and His love. Amen.

Look into My Heart, LORD

Look into my heart, LORD,

and fill me with Your nearness.

Remove all that prevents me,

from living in Your PRESENCE.

Plant the seeds of FAITH, LORD,

that call me to Your side,

so that I dwell with You, LORD,

abide where You abide.

Keep me safe from harm, LORD,

as I move throughout this day.

May Your SPIRIT live within me,

guide all I do and say.

Move my hands and feet, LORD,

so that I fully serve,

the TRUTH that calls me into,

the beauty of Your WORD.

Teach me to be patient,

to seek You in the stillness.

Wrap me in Your MERCY,

lead me to the fullness

of the LIFE that You have PROMISED,

through the POWER of the CROSS.

May Your PRESENCE lead me

to the broken and the lost.

Provide the words I need, LORD,

to guide them to Your GRACE.

To look into their hearts, LORD,

and only see Your face.

For You see not as I see.

You see the heart of man.

Let me become the pathway

that leads them HOME, AMEN.

JN Fenwick (©2026)

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JN Fenwick (©2026) | mothjournal14 | All rights reserved. | I DO NOT WALK THIS RECOVERY JOURNEY ALONE.

I’m JN Fenwick.

Wife, mom, but more importantly, a recovering alcoholic with a grateful heart. For years, I struggled, not just with alcohol, but with an eating disorder and the burdens of guilt and shame. On March 22, 2018, I surrendered my life to Christ. I was 51. God did not forsake me. He welcomed me, as undeserving as I am. He did not see my brokenness. Instead, He saw my potential. My Recovery Journey is one of Faith. From the ashes of my failures, God built a fire in me. A fire that guides each step I take. My journey is yours. My healing can be yours, too. God is a mighty warrior. You can take comfort in the promise that the Lord will fight for you and grant you peace.