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During the time of the Judges, Israel lived by what was right in their own eyes. Their hearts belonged to themselves, not to God. Leadership lacked humility, and the cycle of sin, pain, and deliverance repeated again and again.

Why?

Because, as Judges 2:10 says, “There arose a generation who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.”

The cycle looked like this:

• God raised up a leader who pursued His heart
• The people turned back to God
• Over time, they drifted and lived from their own hearts
• Disobedience led to consequences and pain
• They cried out again for deliverance

This cycle reveals a timeless truth: God works through men whose hearts are aligned with His. As 2 Chronicles 16:9declares, “The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”

The books of 1 and 2 Samuel highlight this reality through the lives of Saul and David. Both were chosen, both were anointed, but their leadership diverged because of the condition of their hearts.

📖 1 Samuel 13:14 – God sought a man after His own heart. 📖 1 Samuel 16:7 – God does not look at outward appearance, but at the heart.

We are all leaders in some capacity—whether in our homes, workplaces, churches, or communities. The question is not ifwe are leading, but where we are leading others. The condition of our heart will determine the direction.

The good news is this: in Christ, God has given us a new heart. 1 Samuel 10:9 tells us that God changed Saul’s heart, equipping him to lead. In Christ, He has done the same for us. The difference between Saul and David was not God’s provision, but how they responded to it.

As we begin this journey of learning to lead with His heart, let’s start where David began—in the presence of the Shepherd. Read Psalm 23 and reflect on what it reveals about David’s heart, and how living from your identity in Christ shapes your own.