Prepare

David waited 15 years from the time he was anointed by God to be king until the moment he was actually crowned as king. The time in between wasn’t always glamorous, that’s for sure, but it mattered, because in that time period he matured, he gained experience, and it ultimately led him to that crowning moment.

Maybe you’ve been promised some things by the Lord, too? But maybe you’re still waiting?

I talk a lot about it not being too late to pursue our calling, no matter our age and stage. I DEEPLY BELIEVE THIS. But I also know from experience that sometimes even though it seems like we’ve waited a long time, we still have to wait a little longer to see doors open that we know we’ve been called (anointed, even!) to walk through.

There are patterns throughout the Bible, and throughout our own lives, that point to a gap in time between an anointing and an activation, between a promise made and a promise fulfilled. Why is this? We can’t fully know the answers this side of heaven, but we can find purpose and peace in the “gap time.” There is a tenacity that builds up in us through enduring. There is patience being cultivated in the in-between. And there is priceless opportunity for preparation.

Our “gap time” can be fruitful, even fulfilling, and it can serve to better position us for what’s ahead. Let’s not waste it.

If you like to start the new year by choosing a word to keep you on track for the year, may I suggest the word…PREPARE.