David was Created as a king. His brothers in the physical were more ‘kingly’ appearing in the physical! Yet, the prophet Samuel chose and anointed David as the future king of Israel, as recounted in 1 Samuel 16 of the Bible.
Guided by God, the prophet visited Jesse in Bethlehem and selected David—the youngest son—from among his brothers because God looked at his heart rather than outward appearances.
A preparation season is God’s intentional way of building your character, strengthening your faith, and equipping you with the maturity required to handle your upcoming blessings. Delays are not rejections; they are periods of active spiritual growth to ensure you are ready for your destiny.
Based on biblical accounts, it took about 15 years from David’s initial anointing by the prophet Samuel to when he first sat on the throne (ruling over Judah). He was anointed around age 15–16 and began his reign at age 30.
The path to the throne happened in stages:
- The First Anointing: Samuel anointed the teenage David in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:1-13).
- Ascent to Judah: After Saul’s death, David was anointed a second time at age 30 to rule over the tribe of Judah (2 Samuel 2:4), a gap of roughly 14–15 years.
- Ascent to all Israel: It took another 7.5 years for David to be anointed a third time and recognized as king over all of Israel (2 Samuel 5:4-5), making the total wait about 22 to 23 years from youth to total unification.
Embracing this season involves several key areas of spiritual and personal growth:
– Character Development: God often does more in you than through you during this time. Skills might open a door, but strong character is what keeps you there.
– Building Capacity: Use this quiet time to study, pray, and develop new skills so you are ready when the opportunity arises.
– Renewing Your Strength: Times of waiting are not punishments. They are designed to renew your endurance and align your heart with His timing.
Throughout history, God prepares individuals for their specific callings by refining their character through adversity, equipping them with unique life experiences, and instilling a willing heart. Rather than waiting for perfection, He empowers ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary purposes for His Kingdom.
Studying scripture and faith history reveals several key figures whose trials were purposeful preparation for their divine assignments:
– Moses: Spent 40 years in the wilderness tending sheep, transforming him from a brash prince into a humble leader before God called him to deliver the Israelites.
– David: Learned to rely on God while protecting his father’s flocks and enduring the wilderness as a fugitive, which prepared him for his reign as king.
– Esther: Was placed in a position of royal influence “for such a time as this”, utilizing her unique circumstances to save her people.
– The Apostle Paul: His strict Pharisaic upbringing, Roman citizenship, and education became instrumental tools in his calling to write much of the New Testament and spread the Gospel to the Gentiles.
These examples demonstrate the spiritual truth that God does not just call the qualified; He qualifies the called. The “preparation phase” often involves seasons of waiting, testing, and learning to lean on His strength rather than relying solely on human ability.
And we pray:
Father, thank You for every door You opened that we didn’t even have the strength to knock on properly. Thank You for protecting us in moments we didn’t even know we needed protection. Thank You for making ways we could never have planned ourselves. At this ‘time’, I pray over every person reading this, may shame break off of them. May guilt leave their spirit. Let them stop replaying what they “should have done better” and start recognizing how faithful You have already been. God, breathe fresh wisdom into them for this next season. Where they were under-prepared, prepare them. Where they were spiritually dry, refill them. Where they lost confidence, restore them. And where fear made them hesitate, give them courage to move again.
Father, let this next chapter not just be survival, but stewardship. Teach them how to pray bigger, trust deeper, heal fully, and walk wiser. But even now, remind them that their blessings were never sustained by perfection, they were sustained by grace. Thank You for being the kind of God who still overdelivers in spite of us sometimes. The kind of Father who still shows up, still provides, still protects, and still keeps promises. Everything has a time/season. May miracles locate this family. May peace fill their homes. May unexpected favor find them this week. And may they never forget that Your hand on their life is greater than any mistake behind them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.