“But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart…”
— 1 Samuel 13:14
David is known as a man after God’s own heart. That phrase gets repeated often but it’s usually misunderstood.
It’s not simply that David had a heart for God.
It’s that David was after God’s heart.
He wanted what God wanted.
There's a difference and that's what set him apart.
The Danger of Living for Approval
Before David, there was Saul, the people’s choice.
Israel didn’t want God as their king. They wanted to look like every other nation. They wanted something visible, something impressive, something that felt strong in the eyes of men.
“No! But there shall be a king over us… that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
— 1 Samuel 8:19–20
So God gave them Saul.
“And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.”
— 1 Samuel 9:2
Saul had the look.
He had the stature.
He even had victories.
But he had one fatal flaw:
He feared people more than he feared God.
“But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep…”
— 1 Samuel 15:9
And when pressure came, Saul folded.
“When I saw that the people were scattering from me…”
— 1 Samuel 13:11–13
When it came time to obey God wholeheartedly, Saul compromised.
He listened to the crowd.
He protected what looked good.
He chose approval over obedience.
And that always costs you.
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”
— Proverbs 29:25
What God Actually Looks For
Then God chose David.
Not the tallest.
Not the strongest.
Not the most impressive.
“Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
— 1 Samuel 16:7
David wasn’t even in the room when Samuel came. He was out in the field doing unseen work—watching sheep and staying faithful in the quiet.
“There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.”
— 1 Samuel 16:11
That’s where God found him.
Not chasing attention.
Not building a name.
Just doing what was in front of him with faithfulness.
The Kind of Man God Uses
David wasn’t perfect but he was aligned.
He was a man who:
- Obeyed when it mattered
- Repented when he failed
- Stayed faithful when no one was watching
He didn’t live for the approval of men.
He lived to carry out the will of God.
That’s what it means to be after God’s heart.
This Is the Call
This is where most men miss it today.
We chase image.
We chase recognition.
We chase comfort.
But God is still looking for men like David.
Men who are:
- Faithful under pressure
- Courageous in adversity
- Disciplined in private
Men who don’t bend to the crowd—
even when obedience costs them.
So the question isn’t:
What are you building outwardly?
It’s this:
What kind of heart is being formed?
And is it aligned with God?
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
— James 4:6
Grit & Giants
Grit & Giants isn’t just apparel.
It’s a call.
To stand firm when pressure hits.
To live with conviction when no one else does.
Because in the end—
God isn’t looking for the most impressive man.
He’s looking for the most aligned one.