“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” ~ Mathew 25:1-4

The story of the ten virgins is a perfect example of what it means to be prepared in your season of waiting. Many times, we make the mistake of assuming that our waiting season is a time of doing absolutely nothing.

However, scripture shows us otherwise.

The ten virgins were all waiting for their groom, just as many of us are waiting for our life partners. However, five were wise enough to equip themselves and their lamps with extra oil to last through the night. The other five, unfortunately, took no extra oil—meaning they were unprepared for the journey.

When their lamps ran out of oil, the five wise virgins could refill theirs, while those without oil had to rush out to buy some. Sadly, by the time they returned, the groom had already come and taken those who were ready for him.

Many times, the things we are waiting for come in the form of opportunities. But because we are unequipped for what we have been asking for, we end up losing out on the very things we waited for.

Your waiting season is a time of preparation for that which you are expecting.

• Are you trusting God for a better job? Then what steps are you taking to become a better employee?
• Are you trusting God for a life partner? Then what steps are you taking to become a better husband or wife?
• Are you trusting God for a child? Then what steps are you taking to equip yourself to be a Kingdom parent—one who will raise children in alignment with God’s will?

The list goes on, but the point remains the same: always prepare.

Do not waste your waiting season—rather, use it to gather strength both physically and spiritually. Be equipped and ready for the season you are anticipating.

Prayer: Lord, help me prepare myself for the season that I am anticipating.