David's Faith Journey and Ours: From Complacency to Repentance and Lasting Hope

The Common Christian Faith Journey: From Childhood to Complacency

Our faith journey and David's show many similarities. Many of us, maybe most of us, as Christians, begin our faith journey quite young. We go to church with our family, we learn about God in Sunday School, and we want to do what is right and good. Good Christians, but not yet mature. But as life progresses and we become an adult, we sometimes get complacent in our faith. The Bible emphasizes being a diligent Christian for a reason.

When Sin Takes Hold: Feeling Unworthy and Drifting Away

We still go to church most of the time, pray some, and still try to do good, but sadly we discover this is often when we are weakest to resist temptation. Failing, we think we are no longer worthy of God's love, we let Him down, we base our faith on our works instead of His mercy (Ephesians 2:8-9). The devil whispers to us, "You're not good enough."

Spiritual drift is dangerous. As the darkness of sin grows in our lives, we stop going to church because we feel like a hypocrite. We don't pray much because we know we are routinely sinning, and we stop worrying about doing good and instead think, "What for?" We forget who is the anchor for our soul (Hebrews 6:19). Shame convinces us to run from God when He is the only One who can restore us.

"When we measure our faith by our performance instead of God’s mercy, shame quietly pushes us away from the very grace we need most."

God's Merciful Reminder: Restoration Through Forgiveness

But then mercifully, God blesses us, regardless of our worthiness, by reminding us that it is His worthiness that matters, not ours. We hear something on social media, or we have a friend who speaks to us honestly about God's love and forgiveness, or a tragedy happens and there is absolutely no one to turn to but Him. We seek forgiveness and turn from our sin (1 John 1:9). Our relationship with Him is restored. However, there may still be consequences to our decisions, but praise God we have been forgiven (2 Samuel 12:13-14).

From then on we face life very differently. We understand the importance of prayer, obedience, love, and forgiveness like we never did before. We try to share this faith that has grown in our hearts with those we love before the Lord takes us. Spiritually renewed, we are ready to face temptation. David's faith journey and ours are much the same even though he lived this faith experience thousands of years ago.

David's Early Faith: Facing Giants with Bold Trust in God

You may remember David, as a boy, had such strong faith he was able to face Goliath with a sling shot while he was taunting him (1 Samuel 17). How could he do this? Because to this point he was a devoted follower of God. Growing up in a devout Jewish home he knew the stories of old and the faithfulness of God. One of David’s early psalms, Psalm 7, reflects this stage of his life.

At this point in his life, he had been anointed king but was running from King Saul who was trying to kill him. David's fear caused him to call on God, whom he knew was with him. David wanted justice and he knew only God would be able to bring him the perfect justice he sought for his enemies. He pleaded with God to help him. He asked God to examine him and see if there was any unrighteousness.

In Psalm 7:14-16 he speaks of the wicked bringing forth iniquity, conceiving trouble, and bringing out lies. He sings about the trouble of the wicked returning upon his own head. In hindsight his words read with sobering irony. David could not yet imagine that he himself would one day commit a terrible sin that would bring devastating consequences.

David ends the Psalm by praising God. Though he hadn't seen God's promises fulfilled, he has faith that God will honor His word. He will become King. His enemies will be defeated.

David's Great Fall: Temptation, Sin, and Hidden Guilt

Finally, after a decade or more of running, David did indeed become King of Israel. He continues to write psalms that praise God and seek Him. But then, even though he was close to God, temptation came to him as it does to all of us. Why did he fail? Had he become less diligent about his relationship with God? Had he considered himself above failure or that he could do as he pleased because of who he was?

That moment of temptation went further, he called for Bathsheba. When she became pregnant, he arranged for her husband Uriah to be placed in harm's way and be killed. David's relationship with God was deeply damaged by hidden unrepentant sin.

Repentance and Renewal: Lessons from Psalm 51 and God's Grace

But David was forced to face this sin he had tried to hide, for the prophet Nathan came to him with a word from God. When the prophet Nathan confronted him (2 Samuel 12:1-13), David confessed his sin. Though forgiven, he faced painful consequences. After their child was born, he became sick. David's tearful prayers for healing went unanswered, and sadly the child died. David accepted God's will. This was a turning point in his life.

In Psalm 51, David famously pours out his heart to God confessing his failure and seeking a return to the relationship he once had with Him. David pleads with God to "renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). David now sees the importance, the absolute necessity, to have a spirit for God that would not falter. David seeks to become the faithful servant that God needs and wants him to be.

David acknowledges that what God wants more than anything is a "broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart" (Psalm 51:17). He praises God for delivering him from the guilt of bloodshed. This psalm made David's sin public to everyone. He did not hide behind his throne and confess in hiding. He shared his sin and remorse with everyone, recording it in his psalm for all to see.

A Mature Faith: Trusting God and Hoping in the Coming King

In Psalm 23, the great Shepherd Psalm, we find a David who has learned to trust completely in God. In this psalm, David knows God is his provider and guide. He fears nothing because he knows God is with him. Ultimately, David's desire is to dwell forever with the God who has guided his life, chastised him, forgiven him, and shown him grace. His confidence is now found in experienced faith shaped by failure and forgiveness.

Near the end of his life David writes Psalm 72. He is likely writing this psalm to his son Solomon, the one born from his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, for his coronation as king. David has grown in wisdom and prays that his son will also be wise and blessed. He envisions a kingdom where the poor and oppressed receive peace and justice.

This peace will be forever. Kings will bow before their king and nations will serve him. Prayer and praise to God will be continuous. David ends by saying, "Blessed be His glorious name forever." David says let the whole earth be filled with God's glory.

Looking at this prayer, we can see how far David has come. David has learned to trust God to provide in every season of his life. After all his mistakes and the amazing forgiveness God gave him, David no longer thinks only about his own life or reign. His heart has grown to embrace God’s kingdom and purposes beyond himself.

Here David extolls a King who far surpasses anything his son Solomon might accomplish. Here David sings a song to the Messiah and His glorious kingdom on earth that will come. When we read this psalm, we see David hoping for a future he knows will come. His time is almost over but he knows One will eventually come who will reign forever over all the earth.

David's Faith Journey and Ours

The same grace that picked David up after he fell is the grace that leads us forward too. Every time we turn back to God, repent, and let Him change us, we're getting ready for that everlasting kingdom. Our little steps of faith today are part of God's big, forever plan. What can we do today to renew our spirit and become steadfast for God as David did?

In our lives, we too can grow in grace and faith like David (2 Peter 3:18). We may not be kings but God has a plan for us all and with His guidance we will be able to obey it. When we fall as we surely will, let us be like David, and know Who it is that is our Shepherd. Recognize that there is a future awaiting us with Him forever and one day, perhaps standing next to David, we will bless God's name forever for His unsurpassed grace and faithfulness.