One of my favorite sayings in the leadership coaching and training our team provides is, “If at first you don’t succeed, you’re about average.” A second saying that harmonizes with this one is, “If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.”

King David knew how to get things done. The doing of great things built more than a reputation; it constructed a track record. He didn’t win just one race; he won nearly all of them. He didn’t lose often. When he did experience setbacks, he did the same thing he did when he won. 

Consider the psalms he wrote. Many of them are songs of praise and thanksgiving. Many are also filled with complaints, questions, and outright antipathy. Sometimes, David was on the losing end. Sometimes, David felt like he was destined to become lion chow. Sometimes, everything looked as if it were against him. 

During one of those dark nights of David’s soul (1 Samuel 30), we read these words in verse 6: 

David was in an extremely difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. **But David found strength in the Lord his God.** (Emphasis added.)

Today’s text follows up on what happened in 1 Chronicles 13. David attempted to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and failed. One guy, poor Uzzah, died in the attempt. David’s heart was in the right place, and in his mind, he determined how to accomplish the transfer. He did not succeed on his first attempt, but neither did he give up.

He performed an After-Action Review and determined what he did wrong. When we come to 1 Chronicles 15, we see David begin again more intelligently. Verse 2 says, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.”

If at first you don’t succeed, learn the lessons failure makes evident. Experience is not the best teacher; evaluated experience is. 

David consecrated the Levites. He consecrated himself. He consecrated everyone involved in the transfer. To consecrate, to set apart for special use, means they took good baths, put on the prescribed clothing, and proceeded in the orderly fashion God gave to Moses. They moved the ark the way God prescribed their ancestors to move the ark. 

Seldom is failure fatal or final. David didn’t fail here. He learned how to begin again more intelligently. He learned the lesson of a pre-mortem: If this fails, what will cause it to fail? He learned the lesson of a post-mortem: What caused this to fail, and what do we need to do next time to prevent another failure?

Failure can be fatal. Failure can be final. Neither has to be true. We set ourselves up for success by building on past success, learning the lessons failure teaches better than any other course of study, and by learning the lessons of evaluated experience. 

What happened next? Read 1 Chronicles 17. Verse 10 is the heart of the matter: “Furthermore, I declare to you that the LORD himself will build a house for you.”

God’s declaration that he was building an eternal dynasty for David and his descendants occurred only after David mastered the proper procedures to direct his mindset and heart’s desires. 

God is honored, and others benefit when our minds, wills, and emotions work together under his direction and empowerment. 

How do we become more like David in this regard? The Apostle Paul teaches us deep truth to shape our prayers for ourselves and our loved ones in Romans 12:1, 2.

Therefore, brothers and sisters,
in view of the mercies of God,
I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God;
this is your true worship.
Do not be conformed to this age,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭CSB‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1713/rom.12.1-2.CSB

—

I will seek God’s transformation so that he may use me to express more and more of his goodness through me. 

—

Our Father, here I am. I belong to you. Continue your transforming work in me. Mold me, shape me, fill me, use me. I want to know your heart and mind, your will and ways, in all things at all times. Renew me day by day and moment by moment. Empower me to decide and commit to what you want. May my life demonstrate the good, pleasing, and perfect benefits of a deep and abiding walk with you. Amen.