What does the Bible teach us about self-confrontation? Is it a good thing or a bad thing when your heart smites you?
In the story of David, the Bible records something so profound that it reveals to us a miraculous miracle of astronomical magnitude. We see in 1 Samuel 24:5 that the text says, “David’s heart smote him”.
“…Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt” (1 Samuel 24:5).
Without context, it would seem to us that simply cutting a small bit of a man’s skirt who is hunting you day and night would not register as something inherently wrong at all. However, for David, he did this not in the spirit but in the flesh – he became a fugitive of his own choice in order to avoid confrontation and temptation to retaliate against Saul.
In Psalm 17:3, David says, “I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress”. And in Psalm 39:1 David says, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me”.
“Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress” (Psalm 17:3).
““I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me” (Psalm 39:1).
What the scripture tells us in both Psalm 17:3 and Psalm 39:1 is the same thing it is revealing to us in 1 Samuel 24:5. It is telling us that David understood his test was not really just about the test, it was much deeper than that. The real test for David was in his thoughts and temptation to sin with his words, and imaginations against others in what seems unfair or not right that is hurled against us. This test is not just personal to David in the Bible, but to us in our everyday lives.
David knew this secret. David also knew that the most important treasure – more important than anything he desired or possessed – was the presence of God.
“The Lord is my rock, fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2).
David became the greatest teacher in the Hebrew Scripture on how to dwell in the Lord’s presence and what blocks and grieves the Holy Spirit.
David’s way was perfect before God.
“I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart” (Psalm 101:2).
David took accountability for his mistake with Saul, because David’s heart “smote him” God gave him the same test immediately after, just in a different format.
This time there was not even a trace of “hidden anger or revenge for his enemy”. Within days, the long awaited prophecy that was given to David by Samuel came to pass.
“And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul” (2 Samuel 2:4).
Seven years later, God took David’s enemy and through an arch enemy took out the head of Saul’s army, the chief acting prime minister over Saul’s army, and brought all of Israel together and anointed David as king over all of Israel.
“So all the elders of Israel came to the king Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel” (2 Samuel 5:3).
Even though David had passed the Lord’s initial test, the Lord continued to test David.
Near the end of David’s life, he did a deplorable thing:
“For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba and number ye people, that I may know the number of people” (2 Samuel 24:2-3).
David numbered Israel’s troops without “the atonement” covering for war by counting the hosts of Israel’s army with a half of a shekel of silver per head as an atonement in battle.
“And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls” (Exodus 30:16).
As a result of this, a plague broke out with 70-thousand casualties dead. The Bible tells us that David’s heart again, “smote him”.
“And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly” (2 Samuel 24:10).
David repented and listened to his heart. He took complete ownership over his wrongdoing. He did not “cover it up” or try to shift the blame to someone else – he came to terms with his actions and was not afraid of his consequences because he knew what he did was wrong.
It was self confrontation. He did not allow a lie into his heart to try to make what he did wrong seem right.
In that moment, God turned his mistake into a miracle. Everything was reversed. The prophet God instructed him to build “an altar unto the Lord in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite”.
“And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite” (2 Samuel 24:18).
Later, that altar and threshing floor became the habitation of heaven on earth, Solomon’s temple.
David was able to use the skill of self scrutiny and accountability from his early life to end. This brought the greatest, most monumental, divine reversals and turnarounds of his life.
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If we are able to use David as an example of how to dwell in the presence of the Lord and do His will and not give into our worldly temptations – we will get to know the Lord so closely and step into our God-given destiny. {eoa}Driven by a mission to bring the prophetic Word of God to Southern California and the entire globe, Dr. Michelle Corral, CEO and founder of Breath of the Spirit Ministries International, Inc., provides destiny-focused principles for your life. For more than 45 years, this anointed minister has continued to serve those in need through humanitarian efforts, powerful books, and more. If learning about how to go from distress to success interests you. Click here to listen now to my podcast, Day of Destiny.
