December 17, 2025
By Mark Rowan
One generation will commend God’s works to another. That is the heartbeat of Generations, a place where wisdom is passed from the Abrahams, through the Isaacs, to the Jacobs.
In this episode, we focused on one of the most relatable leaders in Scripture: David.
Not because he had a perfect story, but because he had a real one.
David’s leadership was forged long before he ever sat on a throne. It was shaped in rejection, sharpened in waiting, strengthened through fear, and tested in success.
David was overlooked and underestimated. When Samuel came to anoint the next king, David’s own father lined up every son except him. David was left in the fields.
It is easy to assume that being overlooked is proof you are disqualified. In God’s process, it can be confirmation you are in training.
The hidden seasons form humility, faithfulness, and spiritual strength. They teach you how to stay “vertical” with God so your identity is not controlled by people’s opinions.
A powerful moment in the conversation was the warning about rejection.
When someone is insecure and wounded, being overlooked can trigger a drive to force acceptance. That can lead to striving, manipulation, and performance living.
But David learned something better. He rested in God’s timing. He refused to grasp for what God promised. He stayed submitted to God’s process and let God open doors at the right time.
Os explained the difference between two forms of leadership:
Jesus defined greatness in a way the world still struggles to accept: if you want to be great, you must be a servant of all.
David lived this in the cave.
When he fled from Saul, he hid in the cave of Adullam. That cave became the gathering place for 400 distressed, indebted, discontented men, essentially the misfits of the nation.
David did not resent them. He served them.
Over time, those men became David’s mighty men, leaders who carried extraordinary strength and loyalty. David’s record was staggering. He never lost a battle.
The lesson is clear. Leaders are not formed by perfect teams. Leaders are often formed by serving imperfect people until they become who God intended them to be.
David was anointed as a teenager, but he did not step into the throne for years. The gap between promise and fulfillment can feel painfully slow.
Os referenced a pattern he has seen repeatedly in leaders, including a stage of isolation. Many leaders experience a period where God puts them aside, not to punish them, but to prepare them.
Some of the greatest “downloads” in history happened in isolation:
God turns messes into messages into messengers.
David lived under constant pressure. Saul wanted him dead. Fear was always available.
The discussion around fear and leadership highlighted two key ideas:
Ian shared a vivid picture of this. He went skydiving, felt the fear, but gained a bigger perspective. Seeing creation from 13,000 feet humbled him and reminded him how small our fears are compared to the God who made everything.
Leadership requires courage, but courage is not the absence of fear. It is moving forward with God when fear is present.
One of the most sobering parts of David’s story is that his greatest moral failure happened after he became successful.
When kings went to war, David stayed home. Idleness opened the door to temptation.
Os warned that success can be dangerous because it gives you more control over your time, money, and options. That freedom can become a trap if you lose discipline and drift out of rhythm with God.
This led to a discussion about Sabbath and hurry. Hustle culture can destroy people, but idleness can also destroy people. The goal is not a perfect balance, it is a godly rhythm.
When pressure hits, most people want relief. Some seek that relief through unhealthy escape. But pain can become a gift if it drives you into God’s presence.
Os shared how mentors and hard seasons exposed strongholds, wrong beliefs, and wounds that needed healing. David carried a wound of rejection, and God had to address it.
Jesus said the truth will make you free. Often the truth you need is uncovered in the pressure.
A question was asked that many young adults quietly live with: what does leadership look like when you are early in your career and just trying to survive?
Os gave a strong answer. Value your early job experiences. They become stepping stones.
He shared his own chain of career moments, including a sales job he was not expected to succeed in. He prayed, stepped out, and surprised everyone. Those experiences became foundational, both professionally and spiritually.
Ian echoed the same idea. Even jobs he disliked taught skills he later carried into his next season.
You do not have to have it all figured out. Take the next step in front of you and let God build the path as you walk it.
If you want to keep learning across generations and help mentor emerging leaders:
Tags
destiny, finding purpose, King David, Overcome
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