Good Intentions can be a Mistake

What if the right goal done the wrong way keeps stealing your joy? We unpack a gentle but firm truth: good intentions don’t replace a faithful process. Through a relatable home story and a timeless moment from 2 Samuel 6–7, we explore how rushing, skipping counsel, or copying what seems to “work” can derail even the holiest desires and how aligning our methods with God’s word restores peace.

We start with a small domestic decision that spiraled: a leaning guest bed, well-meaning help, and a room turned upside down. That simple misstep becomes a mirror for our own habits of acting first and asking later. From there, we move into the story of King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. 

This conversation is for anyone who wants a faith that is steady, not hurried. We talk about choosing counsel over impulse, Scripture over convenience, and patience over shortcuts. You’ll walk away with a simple framework for decisions big and small: ask, align, obey, then rejoice. If this message strengthens your heart, share it with a friend, subscribe for weekly devotionals, and leave a quick review so others can find hope here too.

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Podcast Music by: prazkhanal
Song: Whip

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Purpose
• 1:08 Theme: Good Intentions Mislead
• 2:32 The Broken Bed Story
• 5:28 David, The Ark, And A Shortcut
• 8:10 Consequence And Course Correction
• 10:05 Obedience, Joy, And Personal Update
• 12:18 Prayer And Blessing
• 13:20 Closing And Next Steps

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Hello, hello. You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 96. This week's devotional is titled, Good Intentions Can Be a Mistake. So excited, let's go. Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart. My journey in love for Jesus Christ, my Savior. Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hawk Podcast. This is a weekly devotional I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier. It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born four months early in 2023. Through that challenging time, God worked in ways that truly amazed me. On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith woven together with Scripture to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives. My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted, and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through. So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray within. Episode 96, key passage, 2 Samuel 6 through 7. Good intentions can be a mistake. Hello and welcome back to the podcast. So I just want to jump right into it. Um sometimes we think that as long as our intentions are good, everything should work out fine. But scripture and honestly life teaches us something deeper. Sometimes good intentions can lead to mistakes and even sin, especially when we take shortcuts, act without counsel, or decide to do things our own way instead of the right way. So let me uh tell you a simple story. Late last year, um, right before the holidays, the bed frame in our guest room broke. The bed started leaning to one side a bit. I knew immediately, I knew immediately, you know, this bed frame has to go at some point. Honestly, the whole bedroom set needs to go. It's been with me since college. So it's overdue. Way overdue. So, but I also knew this wasn't the right time. We weren't having guests anytime soon, and I had storage bins underneath the bed and things, you know, stored underneath the bed. The mattress and box spring were newer and in great shape. Um, and financially and mentally, it just wasn't the moment to deal with it, though. So I made a decision. I leave it for now and deal with it after the holidays. Nobody's coming, no one goes and checks out my my guest room. It doesn't matter if it's leaning a little bit, it doesn't matter. So December rolls around and our housekeepers come to clean. They're a husband and wife team that I absolutely adore, known them for 30 plus years. Um, we've known them, you know, they clean my grandparents' house for years before obviously we bought our home, and then having them clean our home is just like full circle, just because we we know them, and it's just neat for me to be able to have them in my home and taking care of my home as they do all the time, which is so so well. Anyways, like I said, they do an amazing job, they come once a month, and I just get that really deep clean, which I really, really like. And of course, they have a key, they come in. I don't have to be home. I'm just so blessed that I have that, you know, I have that with somebody, that trust. So that day I wasn't home. Later that evening, um, after they had cleaned the house, I walked into the guest room to grab some luggage and I froze right in place. I looked over, the bed frame was completely dismantled, the box spring and mattress are on the floor, all the storage bins are moved into the closet that's in that room. Now here's the issue. That closet is where I stored my Christmas trees. So now my Christmas trees literally are sitting on the floor of the of the guest room. Weeks later, because there's just nowhere to put 'em right now. I knew they meant well, because my housekeepers will just take things on themselves. I truly did. Um I knew they meant well. Their intentions were good, but all they had to do was call me and ask, which they usually do, and they do things and they try to help immediately and just try to fix something that broke kind of quick, etc. They do that. Um, but they usually a lot they tell me, but this time they didn't. If they had asked, I would have said no, not yet. Instead, one decision without permission, without counsel, created clutter, frustration, and forced us to make a bigger decision sooner than what we were wanting to do. And that included buying a shed to reorganize and to move things around officially. It seems small, it seems harmless, but it perfectly illustrates this truth. Good intentions do not replace the right process. So now let's focus in on our wonderful, wonderful person of King David into 2 Samuel. As I mentioned earlier, 2 Samuel chapters 6 and 7. So let's connect the dots a little bit. So this is really about at this point, David has already taken over Jerusalem. And this is about David and the art of the covenant. Now, let's take that thought straight to scripture, right? David had incredible intentions after becoming king and capturing Jerusalem, like I mentioned earlier. He wanted to bring the art of the covenant, the symbol of God's presence, into the city of David, Jerusalem. He wanted God at the center of the nation. That desire was just so good. The intentions were holy, but the first attempt went very wrong. So let me tell you how. The Israelites placed the ark on a cart pulled by oxen. Now pause here. This wasn't random. Now let me take you back because we talked about this some time last year in my Bible in our and in our devotional about David and about judges and things like that. So let's take you back. Years earlier in scripture per se, this was not just random that David and them carried the art like this, the Ark of the Covenant like this. It's very interesting that they did this. Now, like I said, years earlier, the st the Philistines, which are the enemies of Israel, as we know, stole the ark. They transported it the same way on a cart pulled by oxen in 1 Samuel 6. And when the ark was among the Philistines, as it says in Scripture, disaster followed. People became sick, death spread, they were terrified. They literally begged Israel to take it back. So here's the irony. David and Israel at this moment copied the method of their enemies instead of following the instruction of their God. And when the oxen stumbled and the ark began to tilt, a man named Yuza reached out to steady the cart. And he touched the ark, and instantly God struck him dead. That moment, now I know that moment seems really shocking. It feels harsh, but scripture had already been clear that it says in Numbers 4 15, they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The art of the covenant was to be carried, and it says in scripture, by the Levites, using poles never touched directly, with sacrifices at reverence. David wasn't being malicious, and Yuza wasn't being rebellious, but they took a shortcut. And shortcuts with holy things have consequences. David became afraid of the Lord after that, and he stopped the procession. The Ark of the Covenant stayed elsewhere for some time. Now, doing it the doing it God's way. Now let's dig back into the story. This is the second attempt. And here's what I love about David He didn't quit, he learned. When David tried again to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the city of David, he did it God's way. The Levites carried the ark, they followed God's instructions, they moved slowly and obediently. And this time it worked. And this is where the story changes. The first time there was no there was no joy. There was no celebration, there was only fear. But the second time, David danced in the streets before the Lord. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the city of David, and David danced in the streets before the Lord. Not as a king protecting his image, not as a man worried about appearances, but as someone overwhelmed with God, still wanted to dwell with his people. And David just basically worshipped him the best way he could. And this is a key connection. Because David didn't dance because his intentions were good, David danced because his obedience was right. Joy came after obedience. And so let's bring it back home a little bit here. And that brings me back to my story. When my housekeepers dismantled the bed frame, there was no joy, only frustration. Not because they meant harm, but because they acted without counsel, they acted without talking to me, and it was without the right process. Now, of course, I didn't reprimand them, I didn't yell at them, I didn't do that, but it really was a frustrating situation for us. And if they had just asked me, like I said before, if they had slowed down, the outcome would have been completely different for me and my husband. The intention was good, but the approach mattered. And that's exactly what David learned. Once David honored God's instruction of how to carry the Ark of the Covenant, once he approached God with reverence, once he stopped taking shortcuts, joy finally had room to show up. And this week I felt that same joy, to be honest. After weeks of stress, I know I've really been talking a little bit about what's going on with me personally, you know. Um, so I wanted to kind of share a quick update and how this just, I feel like this story just blessed me too, you know. So, like I said, after weeks of stress um dealing with our subfloor leak in our bedroom, insurance issues, and the fear that my daughter might lose her Medicaid, I received a letter saying her coverage was extended. And in that moment, I didn't try to manage God, I didn't try to figure everything out, I just thanked him. I raised my hands, I wanted to dance just like David, and I did not care. Because when God shows up after a hard season or a hard moment, gratitude is not quiet. My spirit is not quiet. I am happy, hallelujah. And here's what this story teaches us. God cannot be handled with good intentions alone. He must be approached with obedience, humility, and reverence. And when we do, fear turns into worship, obedience turns into joy, and gratitude becomes our response versus taking a shortcut. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for the study of David. Thank you for showcasing his mistakes, showcasing the sin, but then also showcasing how he learns from his mistakes and he corrects himself and he asks for forgiveness and he takes action to do things right. And us as Christians, that's what we're supposed to do. Us as followers of you, Lord, that's what we're supposed to do. And we thank you so much for the amazing, um, the amazing example that David showcases in the Bible that can translate to us now in this day and age. Father, thank you for your scripture, thank you for your love and support. Father, we love you and we praise you, and we just thank you for every miracle and every blessing you have bestowed upon all of us. God bless every person listening to this podcast this week. Let them be encouraged. We love you, we praise you in Jesus' name. Amen. Love you all till next time. Signing off. God is good. Well, that wraps up this week's episode. I hope these devotions help you draw closer to God each day. If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who might need the same message. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode. Also, if you feek if you feel compelled, leaving a nice review would be so appreciated as well. For more information or to reach out, check the show notes or visit jessymorganhome.com or find me on Instagram at JessieMorganLife. Remember, God's timing is always perfect. Keep trusting him. Until next time, this is Jesse Morgan praying off.