In order to be effective, we must be prepared with focus. So often we rush into things, or think that God is delaying our plans and dreams, when actually…He’s preparing us for them.

To be prepared is to be ready or deal with something, beforehand. Preparing is essential to success, and focus helps us take our preparation and put it to use.

The life of David is a perfect example of preparing with focus. His life shows three distinct areas of preparation:

1. Preparing to become a King.

2. Preparing in the presence of a King

3. Preparing while serving as King.

In 1 Samuel 16:7 and 17:33-37 we see David in a strange season. He’s overlooked by his father when Samuel asks to see Jesse’s sons. Seven of them are shown to the prophet while David sits in the pasture with the family sheep. There is clearly some dysfunction in this family but instead of whining and complaining, David simply remains faithful in the fields. When asked to bring food to the battle where his brothers were fighting, David is angry that a Philistine would taunt the Israelite army. God used his lonely season in the pasture to:

Teach him to kill a lion and a bear (so a giant doesn’t seem as scary)
Prepare him to not care about the opinions of others and to be himself (instead of wearing Saul’s armor to battle, he fights in what he is comfortable with because you can’t fit into somebody else’s covering - you must grow on your own)

After this God moved David into the presence of the king in the palace. Three key points mark this season of preparation: (1 Samuel 16:17-22, 1 Samuel 17:13-15 and 18:5-15)

Key #1: God uses David’s previous season in the pasture to prepare him for the present season.

Key #2: God prepares David by giving him proximity to the palace.

Finally, we will all, at some point, lose our focus. David lost his while dealing with a woman named Bathsheba. In 2 Samuel 11:1 we see that David did not join the other kings in battle.

The first step in losing focus is finding yourself repeatedly where you’re NOT supposed to be, and the second is only listening to people who never tell you the truth. David was able to regain focus and serve powerfully as King, but preparing with focus was crucial to his success and his recovery after his downfall.

Are you prepared for all that God wants to do and show you?

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Episode 80: Preparing Your Focus