I recently had a minor medical procedure (recently as in this morning) to check up on an ongoing issue with my thyroid. I must admit, I’m not familiar and definitely not comfortable in a hospital…as a patient that is. This same hospital that I am frequently in and out of ministering to the fine people of our church, today, I found myself in as an active participant!
The preparation process began the minute I walked into the door, as they began to inform me and coach me up on exactly how this was all going to go down. In fact, they even began preparing me a couple of weeks prior to my actual appointment. While telling me precisely what was going to happen, I also noticed that nearly everyone took the time to find out if I had any additional questions. After I assumed the uncomfortable position in the uncomfortable chair while wearing the uncomfortable medical gown and the uncomfortable medical hair net thing, they told me that the actual process wouldn’t take very long.
Sure enough! And thankfully, after a shot to numb the pain, and 3 other needles going into my neck, in less than 5 minutes, the whole thing was over!
I realized today, that the part that we so often overlook, avoid, and even dread sometimes, is the part of the journey where we spend most of our time…preparing. It would even be fair to say that it’s the most critical! Let us not minimize our times of preparation!
We focus on the final product, never realizing the hours of agonizing preparation that goes into the product long before it ever reaches the showroom floor. Based on the skill in which the medical personnel demonstrated, I would have to imagine that they spent an ample amount of time in their schooling and education in learning how to perform this procedure. I highly doubt that they watched a “how to” or “do it yourself” video on YouTube just a few minutes prior to seeing me! At least I hope not!!! Imagine the grueling hours that my Doctor had to put in just to learn how to do a simple, out patient procedure, that took less than 5 minutes. A lot of preparation, for just a few moments in the spotlight.
Don’t neglect the process of preparation today my friends. And there are so many different things that can be viewed as a part of preparing for the future. Every conflict that you have. Every struggle. Every teaching point. Even every failure can just be considered as time spent in the land of preparation.
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