In The Waiting Game? Trust The Process.

It’s possible David was between 10 and 15 years old when he was anointed king by Samuel. However, David didn’t reign as king until he was 30. Those 15 to 20 years were not a waste. They were preparation.

David was not perfect. In fact he does some very sinful things AFTER he finally starts to rule. However I think those 15 to 20 years are what separated him from his predecessor Saul, and helped him be greater. Those years solidified in his heart Who he would follow. He became a man after God’s heart.

Saul’s downfall was his pride. When he made mistakes he justified them, rationalized them, and was unrepentant until he realized the cost. David was immediately remorseful, repentant, and ran towards God. Being a man or woman after God’s heart doesn’t mean you’ll be absent of mistakes. It means you know exactly where to go when you make a mistake and you don’t hesitate to get there.

In Psalms David writes,

“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:7-12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The entire Psalm is amazing but this small excerpt shows the conclusion David came to. Where can I go that God won’t be there? What can I do that He won’t see? What’s the point of trying to run from Him? He’s everywhere. David didn’t realize this and serve God out of fear. No. David understood that God is all powerful, all knowing, and sovereign. Why wouldn’t he want to serve this God?! Plus this same God is concerned and invested in him. David continues to write in Psalm 139 “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (verse 13) That is the love and care of an approachable God, not a ruthless dictator.

Sometimes it can feel conflicting because God says yes and then you are left waiting. The wait can feel daunting, tedious, and frustrating. It’s okay and normal to have those mixed emotions. We are still human! Yet, don’t ever believe the wait is pointless. Don’t ever believe the waiting has no purpose. There can be many reasons God has set this course for you. One possible reason is God has you in preparation mode.

The preparation period is just as important as the reaping period. The preparation is the foundation for the harvest. When we see a farmer gathering crops we are seeing the harvest. Oftentimes, we don’t see the months and months of preparation that went in to getting healthy edible food. The soil had to be prepared. The seeds had to be sown properly. There was watering, guarding from pests and animals, and waiting until the crop matured. Preparation can be the time God uses to mature us. We need to grow up to properly handle what He’ll entrust us with.

God’s not punishing us making us wait, He’s being a good Father. A good father helps ready his children instead of throwing them out and hoping for the best.

Tonight amidst your frustration with waiting, take a moment to thank God for the process. Thank Him that although it may not feel good to me, it’s good for me.