​​I Cannot Afford to Be Out of Position

The Hidden Danger of Spiritual Drift

Aug 27, 2025

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-5

There's a line in the David and Bathsheba story that most people skip over, but it contains one of the most dangerous phrases in all of Scripture: "But David remained in Jerusalem."

Four words that changed everything.

In the spring, when kings went off to war, David stayed home. It seems innocent enough—maybe he was tired, maybe he felt his generals could handle it, maybe he thought he'd earned the right to rest. But that decision to be out of position set off a chain reaction that would cost him a friendship, a child, and nearly his kingdom.

This isn't just about David. This is about every man who has ever chosen comfort over calling, convenience over conviction, or rest over responsibility. This is about the hidden danger of spiritual drift—and why being out of position is a luxury none of us can afford

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Position Protects Purpose

Twenty years into his reign, David had subdued all his enemies. The shepherd boy who once ran toward giants with nothing but a slingshot had become the undisputed king of Israel. Success, it seems, had made him comfortable. And comfort, unchecked, had made him careless.

"In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army... But David remained in Jerusalem."

Location matters. Position protects purpose. When we abandon our post—whether that's in our marriages, our careers, our ministries, or our walk with God—we leave ourselves vulnerable to attacks we never saw coming.

The question isn't whether David was physically capable of leading his army. The question is whether he was where God had assigned him to be. And the answer, tragically, was no.

How many of us are guilty of the same thing? We show up physically but check out mentally. We're present in body but absent in purpose. We

Being out of position physically doesn't just neglect duty—it opens the door to temptation.

The Rooftop That Changed Everything

"One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her."

Here's the thing about being out of position socially—it influences every decision that follows. David wasn't supposed to be on that rooftop. He was supposed to be with his soldiers, leading them into battle, focused on the mission God had given him.

Instead, he was isolated, idle, and alone with his thoughts. And idle hands, as they say, become the devil's workshop.

The phrase "he sent messengers to get her" reveals something chilling about power unchecked by accountability. David had surrounded himself with people who would execute his commands without question, even when those commands violated everything he claimed to believe.

This wasn't just a moment of weakness. This was a man whose position had become his prison—a leader so insulated from consequence that he forgot he wasn't exempt from God's standards.

We live in a culture that celebrates power without accountability. We see it in boardrooms and social media, in politics and entertainment. But David's story reminds us that when we position ourselves above correction, we position ourselves for collapse.

When the Anointing Gets Blurred

David wasn't just any man—he was God's anointed king. The same hands that once played psalms to soothe Saul's troubled spirit were now orchestrating a cover-up that would include adultery, deceit, and murder.

Being out of position spiritually doesn't just affect our behavior—it blurs our identity. David began to see himself as the exception rather than the example. The man who once declared, "The Lord is my shepherd" started acting like he was his own god.

When we drift from our spiritual position, we stop seeing ourselves as stewards and start seeing ourselves as owners. We stop asking, "What does God want?" and start asking, "What do I want?" We trade the fear of the Lord for the fear of man, and the reverence of our calling for the convenience of our comfort.

David's choices on that rooftop weren't just about lust—they were about a heart that had drifted from its first love. When we're out of position spiritually, sin stops looking like rebellion and starts looking like reward.

The God Who Pursues

The most remarkable thing about this story isn't David's failure—it's God's pursuit.

Even when Adam hid in the garden, God called out, "Where are you?"

Even when Hagar fled into the wilderness, God asked, "Where have you come from, and where are you going?"

Even when Elijah was hiding in a cave, God confronted him: "What are you doing here?"

And even when David thought he could hide his sin behind his crown, God sent Nathan the prophet to expose his heart.

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" David would later write in Psalm 139. The answer, as he learned the hard way, is nowhere.

Being out of position doesn't block God's pursuit—it just makes the journey back longer and more painful.

A Growth Mindset for Getting Back in Position

The beauty of David's story isn't that he never fell—it's that he got back up. When Nathan confronted him with the truth, David didn't make excuses or deflect blame. He owned his failure completely.

"I have sinned against the Lord," he said.

And then he poured out one of the most beautiful prayers of repentance in all of Scripture: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

This is what a growth mindset looks like in the face of spiritual failure. David didn't see his sin as a verdict on his identity—he saw it as a call to transformation. He didn't run from God's correction—he ran toward it.

That's the difference between shame and repentance. Shame says, "I'm a failure." Repentance says, "I failed, but I can change."

The Budget of Spiritual Position

We're living in a season where we can't afford to be out of position. Not in our purpose, not in our relationships, not in our calling, not in our worship.

If you've been coasting on yesterday's anointing, it's time to get back in the fight.

If you've been choosing comfort over conviction, it's time to choose differently.

If you've been leading from a place of privilege rather than purpose, it's time to realign.

Position protects purpose. And purpose, protected by position, becomes powerful enough to change not just your story, but the stories of everyone around you.

Like David, we've all had moments where we've let comfort overrule conviction. We've all been tempted to stay home when we should have gone to war. But the grace of God doesn't just call us out—it calls us back.

The question isn't whether you've been out of position. The question is: What are you going to do about it now?

David's story didn't end on that rooftop. And neither does yours.

Get back in position. Your purpose—and everyone connected to it—is depending on you.

Reflection Questions

• Where in your life have you chosen comfort over calling?

• What responsibilities have you been neglecting that are leaving you vulnerable to temptation?

• How has spiritual drift affected your decision-making in recent months?

• What would it look like for you to get back in position in your most important relationships and responsibilities?

Remember: Being out of position is expensive, but getting back in position is priceless.

Take the Next Step in Your Growth Journey

If this message resonates with you, I invite you to dive deeper into the principles that can help you become truly unshakable. My new book, "Unshakable: Becoming the Man God Had in Mind," co-authored with Dr. Rodney S. Lofton, explores how King David's journey from shepherd to king offers a blueprint for developing an unshakeable faith and growth mindset.

Drawing from David's life and modern growth mindset principles, "Unshakable" shows how men can transform pain into purpose and failures into stepping stones. Each chapter offers practical applications and reflections to develop spiritual strength, emotional intelligence, and authentic leadership.

Whether you're dealing with family wounds, professional setbacks, or spiritual drift, this book serves as a roadmap to becoming the man God intended—reminding you that your story still has power to inspire and heal.

Get Your Copy Today:

• Amazon - Available in paperback and Kindle

• Barnes & Noble - Online and in-store

• Godzchild Publications - Direct from publisher

• Bulk Orders - Special pricing available for church groups, men's ministries, and organizations

  
  

For bulk orders of 10 or more copies for your church, men's group, or organization, contact Godzchild Publications for special pricing and discussion guide resources.

Don't let another day pass living out of position. Your purpose is waiting for you to step back into it.