The Waiting Game

*I'm currently doing a study of David and want to share with you what I learn along the way! Today we're in 1 Samuel 16.*

I really hate the DMV. And the social security office. Because it doesn’t matter when I go in, I’m going to have to wait. I usually take a book with me, which makes the wait more bearable, but it still stinks and I just feel like my life is slowing wasting away. Am I being a bit dramatic?

No matter what, waiting sucks. Waiting on your food (I get hangry), waiting for your Amazon package (whatever happened to that drone delivery idea?), waiting at the red light (did you know you’ll spend about 6 months of your life waiting at red lights? whyyyyyy?).

As humans, we’re programmed to be impatient (at least I think most of us are) and it especially doesn’t help in this day in age. We are the “microwave” generation. We like things to be done NOW. But God isn’t a NOW God. He’s an ON TIME God. And unfortunately for us, NOW is usually not the same as ON TIME.

Let’s look at David for an example. (David’s my favorite.)

Before David became king, Israel was ruled by King Saul. Now King Saul had started off a good ruler—God had anointed him and equipped him with the ability to be a good king and a good military leader. But Saul didn’t put God first and ultimately ended up disobeying God, and God was obviously not okay with that.

It was then time to prep the future king of Israel—David! God sent Samuel the prophet to anoint David. Since King Saul was still reigning, it had to be done in secret. Only David and his family knew. Once David was anointed as the future king, God’s spirit left King Saul and instead rested upon David.

You’d think by the next chapter David would be king, right? But NO! In fact, he was still a ways away from being king. BUT in the very same chapter, God set up an opportunity for David to start king lessons. (Kind of like those princess lessons in The Princess Diaries movies, except the king didn’t know he was teaching lessons to the future king. So I guess it’s not really like the Princess Diaries.) David was invited to King Saul’s court to become his own personal musician. King Saul loved him so much that he made David his armor bearer! So David was able to gain firsthand information about leading a nation since he was right next to Saul, who, though he no longer had God’s spirit upon him, still had those awesome leadership abilities and was still leading Israel in victories over their enemies.

David still has a lot of things to go through before he will become king. He has a lot to learn. He has situations to go through that will force him to rely on God. He will find himself in leadership positions that will allow him to grow and become the leader that Israel needs.

David has a promise from God but he still has to wait.

God has a plan and a promise for everyone. For you. Perhaps He’s given you a direct and clear promise and you’re wondering when it’s going to come. I have some of those. I literally have no clue how or when He will do it. But I know that it will come in the right time. In the meantime, I’m going to grow where I’m planted and allow the Lord to mold me into the person I need to be for his plan to take shape.

I encourage you to do the same thing. It’s easy to get weary in waiting, but use it as an opportunity to bloom where you are and let God grow you and show you some things. He may need to work on you still. He may have some things He needs to teach you first. Allow God to use this time to shape you into the person He needs you to be to experience the fullness of His promise.