Preparation for Purpose

Preparation:

We are all preparing for something, even if it seems as small as preparing dinner for our family. But what if you are being prepared for something more than you can imagine? What if God has chosen YOU for something greater?

Over the past few months, I’ve talked to several women, and even sensed it in myself, that God is raising up a generation of women to step into their God-given purpose.

However, purpose does not come without preparation. God will stretch you and shape you so that you can step into the purpose He has for you. Through prayer and study, I have continued to be reminded of Esther, who spent 12 months preparing herself to meet the king. Six months of her treatments included cleansing, healing, and purification, and six months included beauty treatments for transformation.

The twelve months may have served as a quarantine of sorts, because skin disease and infection were common. Six months of treatments may have been for healing and the other six months to clear anything that visibly remained. Yet, this is also a reminder to us that beauty comes from the inside out.

The Bible tells us in Esther 2:12 (CEV) that, “The young women were given beauty treatments for one whole year. The first six months their skin was rubbed with olive oil and myrrh, and the last six months it was treated with perfumes and cosmetics.” Olive oil was often used for anointing, healing, and restoration. Myrrh has cleansing and healing properties, and it is symbolic of suffering, sacrifice, and redemption. God was anointing her for purpose, yet there was also a foreshadowing that her calling would not be without personal sacrifice for the redemption of her people.

The time Esther spent in preparation is also important. The number 12 is a number of completion, representing the fullness of God’s work before He reveals His purpose.

You may not spend 12 months in preparation, but whatever God has started in you, He will complete. If He is preparing you for something, allow Him to heal and transform you from the inside out.

Just like Esther’s six months of treatments for beauty and fragrance for transformation, the fragrance of worship often comes from our seasons of preparation.  Allow Him to heal, purify, and transform you. He wants to refine your heart, renew your mind, and shape your spirit.

When preparation feels like waiting, stretching, or even discomfort, know that the time spent is never wasted. He will use it for His glory. Don’t rush the process. Let Him cleanse you, restore you, and transform you. Surrender your preparation to Him, because it is not punishment; it is positioning for something more.