“David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.”
If we are honest, most of us hate waiting. We live in a world of instant downloads, next-day deliveries, and fast food. We are used to getting what we want immediately. So when it comes to our spiritual lives, we often want the promotion, the healing, or the answer to our prayer right now.
But God rarely works on our timeline.
In his book Soulprint, Mark Batterson writes about a concept that changed my perspective on patience. He reminds us that "Every divine appointment is preceded by a season of preparation".
Think about David. Before he fought Goliath in the valley, he spent years on the hillsides of Bethlehem. While his older brothers were off fighting wars and looking important, David was stuck on the sidelines. He was tending sheep. To the outside world, it looked like he was doing nothing of significance. It looked like he had been forgotten.
I wonder if you feel like that today. Maybe you are watching your friends get married while you are still single. Maybe you are watching colleagues get promoted while you feel stuck in the same role. It is easy to feel like you have been benched.
But here is the truth Batterson points out: The battle with Goliath wasn't won in the valley. It was won on the hillsides.
When David was alone with the sheep, he wasn't wasting time. He was fighting lions and bears. He was learning to use his slingshot. He was developing what Batterson calls "holy confidence." God was building muscles in David's spirit that he would need for the victory ahead. If David had rushed to the front lines before he was ready, he would have failed.
Even Jesus spent years in a carpenter’s shop before He began His public ministry. He spent thirty years preparing for three years of ministry.
If you feel stuck on the sidelines today, please hear this: You are not being punished. You are being prepared.
God is more interested in who you are becoming than where you are going. He knows that if He puts you in a position of leadership or influence before your character is ready, it could crush you. So He presses the pause button. He keeps you in the waiting room.
Use this time well. Don't spend your energy resenting the wait. Instead, ask God what He wants to teach you right now. Sharpen your skills. Deepen your prayer life. Trust that the Architect of your life knows exactly what He is doing. As Batterson says, "God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go".
Your time is coming. Until then, trust the preparation.
Prayer of the Day:
Father God, I confess that I find it hard to wait. I want to see progress, and I want to see it now. But I trust that You are good and that Your timing is perfect. Thank You for the sidelines. Thank You for this season of preparation. Help me not to waste this time but to use it to grow closer to You. Build the character in me that I will need for the future You have planned. In Jesus’ name, Amen.