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Prepare Yourself for the King
- Susan Bolinger
- Feb 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 25
By Susan Bolinger
In April 2015, I found myself deeply unhappy with my life. I wasn’t content at home, at work, or even at church. Everywhere I turned, I felt unsettled. Eventually, I realized there was one common denominator in all of it — me.
One evening after a particularly difficult day, I took my dog for a walk around my neighborhood. As I walked, I prayed and vented to God, pouring out my frustration and confusion. In that quiet moment, I heard Him gently say, “Prepare yourself for the King.”
I stopped and responded, “What?”
Again, He said, “Prepare yourself for the King.”
The words immediately reminded me of Queen Esther in the Bible and her purification process before meeting the king. At first glance, Esther’s preparation seems purely cosmetic, even vain. But as I began studying scripture, I realized it was anything but superficial. I learned that during the first six months of Esther’s purification, she was bathed in myrrh—an essential oil with deep biblical significance.
Unsure how to begin this journey, I asked the Lord to guide me. After purchasing some myrrh, I prayed for direction. He instructed me to go into my prayer closet, anoint my head, and pray. I obeyed, though at first it felt awkward. I stood there with the door open, praying briefly, easily distracted—especially when my husband walked by and gave me a puzzled look.
I tried closing the door and kneeling, but then I became distracted by clothes and shoes I hadn’t worn in years. Frustrated, I decided to change the atmosphere. I turned off the lights, played instrumental worship music, knelt, anointed myself with myrrh, and began to pray—sincerely.
This time, my prayer was different. I asked God to change me—my heart, my mind, my attitudes—whatever He wanted. That prayer was difficult because it required me to get myself out of the way.
As I researched myrrh further, I learned that while frankincense was given to Jesus at His birth, myrrh symbolized His death. In biblical times, myrrh was used to prepare bodies for burial. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that there were things inside me that needed to die.
Over the next year, God began purging my life—my thoughts, my emotions, my attitudes and even friends. Some things I gladly released: feelings of inadequacy, worthlessness, perfectionism, pride, and the constant sense of never measuring up. But other things were harder.
I noticed that certain memories still stung when they crossed my mind. I asked God to reveal any unforgiveness I still carried—things I thought I had forgiven but hadn’t fully released. Over the next two weeks, names began surfacing everywhere: while shopping, in conversations with my parents, through acquaintances, even on social media. I knew God was bringing unresolved wounds to the surface.
I wrote down every name.
One Saturday afternoon, sitting on my screened-in porch—the Lord told me it was time to let them go. The list was longer than I expected, spanning from childhood to the present. I prayed for uninterrupted time, knowing how important this moment was.
I didn’t offer a blanket prayer of forgiveness. Instead, I took the list one name at a time. I pictured each person sitting in front of me and replayed the offense from beginning to end in the presence of the Lord. Some memories were painful, and I wept uncontrollably. Then I spoke out loud: “I forgive you for what you did to me,” and even “I’m sorry I hurt you—please forgive me.” I did this for every name.
Many of those people had never asked for forgiveness, but with God’s help, I released them anyway. As I replayed each situation in my mind, I forgave them at the moment of the offense, and the enemy lost his grip on those memories. The process took over three hours, uninterrupted! I truly believe God protected that time.
Some names surprised me. I thought, That was petty. That doesn’t matter. But I remembered a prayer I prayed: if God brought it to my mind, I would address it. Why allow even the smallest offense to stand between me and the future God had planned?
When I finished the final name, I felt an immediate lifting—as though a heavy weight had been removed from my shoulders. I was free.
I want to be used greatly by God—but preparation is required. The same is true for you. If your hands are full of unforgiveness, how can God fill them with new blessings, fresh anointing, and His promises?
I wanted to be free—once and for all.
And that freedom changed everything.
I know He will do the same for you.
Author: Susan Bolinger is the author of the book, “Bloom – A Process to Achieve Complete Forgiveness”. She has a YouTube Channel where you can follow her video series “Forgiveness in Five.” To order a copy of Susan’s book and learn more about her ministry, check out the links below. “Bloom – A Process to Achieve Complete Forgiveness” – The Book
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