So it doesn’t appear that the census is the problem here, but maybe there is more going on than we see in the story. 1: Maybe it was the attitude of David’s heart that was the problem. Pride can get in the way when leading a group of people. Every pastor has to battle this when it comes to church growth. Man often sees a successful church as a large church. The more people that are coming the more successful you are. That is not what makes a church successful. What makes a church successful is being submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and to His plan. We should never get caught up in the head count. By counting his men, David may have been comparing his strength by how many soldiers he had. In reality, his strength is found in the Lord, as is ours. So When God saw the temptation, He allowed Satan to move him into the desires of his heart that he was already struggling with.