When I was pregnant with my firstborn, my husband and I attended a series of childbirth classes. We took in more information than my husband (or I) probably wanted to know. We learned about putting together a birth plan and about a variety of must needed items that would help in the laboring process. So I packed up a big bag full of labor supplies, tucked the birth plan in and headed to the hospital in the middle of the night.
The bag of supplies was never opened.
Was the class a waste? Was all the planning in vain? No, although the details played out quite differently than expected, the process prepared me.
Remember the old movie, Karate Kid? Mr. Miagi had Daniel doing all sorts of menial tasks like waxing his car. Daniel was expecting to be trained to fight but ended up doing Mr. Miagi’s chores instead. As he was putting the “wax on” and taking the “wax off” he was actually being prepared to fight.
What’s the difference between planning and preparing? Planning is deciding what you will do and preparing is the process of becoming ready for the planned or unplanned.
Preparation is a process and it can seem tedious and mundane. The Lord desires us to be prepared rather than distracted, and the enemy of our souls strives to keep us distracted rather than prepared.
The Biblical beauty queen, Esther, is an example of someone who allowed layers of preparation to empower her to speak up and participate in the saving of God’s people. I cannot imagine Esther parading around in a swimsuit, but she did spend twelve months in extensive beauty treatments. Twelve months! A weekend away at a spa sounds wonderful, but an entire year sounds exhausting.
It turned up, that growing up under the influence of a godly father figure prepared Esther more than a year of beauty treatments did. When Esther is asked to help save her people she at first responded like most of us would. But Mordecai believed Esther could do difficult things and didn’t take “no” for an answer.
Mordecai sent back this answer: ‘Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:13-16
Esther chose courageously to go before the king and speak up on behalf of her people. Maybe she looked inside her heart and saw that she really had been prepared for this after all.
You and I are being prepared as well and choices will come. The best preparation takes place in the secret place. Just as Esther soaked in all sorts of fragrant oils, you and I are invited to soak in the presence of the Lord. In the soaking, He softens our hearts and prepares us for brave decisions.
Preparation is vital to succeeding and surviving in life. It takes time. It takes intentionality. It takes vision. It takes action. It is mostly unseen, but it is worth it.
Jesus prepared the way for us to draw near to God. Jesus has prepared and continues to prepare us for the here and now. Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven. Jesus desires for us to be His ambassadors; preparing the way for His return.
Trust that through Jesus you have been:
- PREPARED to do good works ~ Ephesians 2:10
- POSITIONED for such a time as this ~ 1 Corinthians 12:4-12
- PERFECTED by the blood of Jesus ~ Hebrews 10:14
- POWERFULLY EQUIPPED with His Word and His Spirit ~ 2 Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 3:16-20
The next time you get frustrated because you don’t seem to be going anywhere or your plans aren’t materializing, trust that the Lord is still working. He is preparing you to do hard things even when your feelings tell you otherwise.
How about you? Are you feeling stretched while in a season of preparation?
