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Many of us are waiting on God to fulfil a promise: whether it’s a job that will bring stability to our families, a spouse to share life with, a home to call our own, a long-awaited child, or simply the success we’ve been praying for. Yet, almost as soon as the promise is received, life seems to move in the opposite direction. Nothing goes according to plan. Instead of progress, we face setbacks. Why does it happen this way?
I believe it’s because sometimes we take short cuts and rush the process thereby ‘receiving’ the promise before we are ready. Before receiving it, we must go through a season of becoming the kind of person who can carry what God has promised. There are many biblical examples of this, but David’s journey stands out to me the most. When we first meet him, David is a forgotten young shepherd boy, left out by his own father when the prophet Samuel visits. Yet it is David whom God chooses and anoints to be king. But his path to the throne is anything but smooth, it takes sixteen years. During that time, David transforms from a boy tending sheep into a man after God’s own heart.
Through David’s journey, we learn three powerful lessons about becoming who God has called us to be:
1. The promise ushers us into a new season—and new battles.
As a shepherd, David was already skilled in defending his flock from wild animals. But once chosen to replace Saul, he faced Goliath—an experienced warrior and giant. David’s victory brought him favour with the king, who promoted him to lead the army. Yet success stirred jealousy. When David’s popularity surpassed Saul’s, the king turned on him, attempting to kill him twice. Forced to flee, David used clever strategies to stay alive—pretending to be mad, hiding in deserts, and constantly relocating. Despite the chaos, he gathered 600 men, trained them into a formidable army, and sustained them through raids. Even in exile, David demonstrated wisdom, justice, and leadership. He negotiated peace, protected the vulnerable, and provided for his followers and their families. These trials forged him into the kind of leader who could rule well. In the same way, our battles shape us for the promises we’re waiting to see fulfilled.
2. Fight your battles like someone who knows and trusts God.
David’s strategy for survival was rooted in his faith. He had been mentored by the prophet Samuel in worship and relied on the priest Abiathar to seek God’s counsel before making major decisions. He prayed in every season. Even when under pressure, David showed reverence for God’s authority, refusing to harm Saul despite multiple opportunities. He held his men to high moral standards, correcting them when they sought revenge or acted unjustly—such as when they wanted to kill Saul or deny spoils to weary soldiers. David’s life revealed a man who not only trusted God but lived by that trust.
3. Trust God’s timing.
David knew he was destined to be king, but he trusted God’s timing. He once told a friend that Saul would either die in battle or of old age—and he was patient enough to wait him out. David refused to force the process or take shortcuts to the throne. In the end, even his former enemies recognised his character and leadership. They saw that he was a righteous man and a good king—one who honoured God and did what was right.
This process of becoming shows us that it takes time to grow into the people God sees us as.
We should not be discouraged if it seems like we are being pulled away from the most direct route to the promise. Instead, we should trust that God is leading us—and learn to enjoy the journey.
