“One of the young men answered, ‘Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him.'” 1 Samuel 16:18
Have you ever thought to yourself, I wish God would hurry up? Me too.
We pray. We hold on to hope. We wrestle with God. And yet, there are seasons in life when we do all of these things faithfully, consistently, sometimes even desperately, only to find ourselves doing them again the next day. Talk about growing the fruit of patience, right?
After walking through a few “in-between” seasons of my own, I’ve realized that the space between where we are and where we long to be is holy ground. It’s the place where God shapes us, tests us, and invites us to trust Him more deeply.
I believe David is one of the greatest examples from Scripture on how to steward our in-between seasons well. Before David was crowned king, he was appointed as a teenage boy while working as a shepherd.
Being a shepherd wasn’t a glamorous job; it required physical labor, smelly work conditions, and long days in the wilderness. It was during those exact years, the years before and in between David being appointed and crowned, that David learned how to play music with excellence in the fields.
In 1 Samuel 16, Saul, who preceded David as king, had been sent a tormenting spirit by God. Saul’s servants knew that music could soothe him, and the first person they thought of was David.
David had a reputation of being not only a good musician, but a skillful one, who was capable of serving in Saul’s court. When the tormenting spirit troubled Saul, David would play the harp or lyre, and Saul would feel peace. It was during David’s own in-between season out in the fields, surrounded by sheep, faithfully playing his instrument, that God used to prepare him for the palace.
The way we steward our in-between seasons determines how well we’ll step into the next chapter God has prepared for us. The question we get to ask ourselves every day is this: Am I stewarding what God has placed in my hands today?
Friend, when life feels chaotic and you’re ready to quit, remember, God is always orchestrating plans for good (Romans 8:28). Like David, our in-between seasons can be holy ground for a fertile future.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for preserving stories like David’s to remind us that You are absolutely at work in our in-between seasons. Lord, reveal to us what obedience looks like today. Equip us to make the most of what You’ve placed in our hands. We love You and desire to honor You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Want More?
Read 1 Samuel 16–17. How did God use David’s in-between season (before being crowned) as he faithfully and fearlessly took down Goliath? How has God used one of your past experiences to prepare you for a future assignment? What does obedience require of you today?
