For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT
What season of your life do you find yourself in? I had to ponder on this for a minute. I sat there and asked the Lord, what season am I in? I heard sowing season. I am a dreamer. I am VERY open with the Lord about what it is my heart desires. He is my Father I know He wants to hear my dreams and goals. But, that does not mean He gives me everything I ask for right away, nor does he give me answers right away all the time either. Which is the hard part. Oh the waiting season. We hate that part, right? It’s so hard to wait. We want to know not only the outcome, but the process to it. And well, God doesn’t work this way. He wants us to trust Him. To rely on His timing and believe the truth that He has plans for us, good plans, plans to prosper us, that gives us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).
When it comes to sowing, it involves work. It involves getting dirty, sweating maybe a little or a lot depending on what it is or how long. Sowing takes diligence and faith that what you are sowing will grow and you’ll reap later to hopefully see fruit of your labor for years to come. Nowadays you can go to a store and get a palm tree that has already bloomed for you to just plant and water. Or a small lemon tree that you can just put in your garden bed and watch it grow as you care for it. Because of this most of us don’t have any experience on what it takes to actually plant something in the ground and even when you can’t see it above ground continue to water it, watch the dirt get sun and wait.
You want to reap a fulfilled life with direction? Sow putting God first in every area of your life. You want to reap financial freedom? Sow boundaries and patience. You want to reap love and passion in your marriage? Sow service and respect. You want to reap connection with you kids? Sow self control and love. You want to reap good health and confidence? Sow exercise and better choices. These are just examples for me, alter them to your life as you see fit.
Why is it do hard to wait and sow? Why do we often give up in the sowing season? Mostly it’s because we simply just don’t know how long until we will see harvest from our sowing so we get impatient. Other times because we don’t know if it’s worth it since we don’t see anything sprouting. And lastly, because we are conscious of our sin that we don’t know if our harvest will be good, so we take matters into our own hands.
Whatever the reason might be, often times we then start to believe a lie that maybe God is punishing us, or we question God’s goodness. We question God’s motives most often in a waiting season or a season of grief. I mean who wouldn’t have questions if you had a dream, a desire or a need? I want you to know the truth. God cares. He wants the best for you, just like a good father or mother wants the best for their children so does father God. A season of waiting is sometimes a season of protection. What looks like a season of closed doors could be closed doors to hurt and disappointment (even more of it). There’s been so many times I have questioned God. My prayer would sound something like, “Why Lord? I serve you, I do my best to love you and others.” But, once the Lord’s answer moves to a YES, I soon realize what God was protecting me from or how the waiting part made the blessing much bigger and better than my expectation.
I don’t know what season you are in, but I want you to ask God and trust that you’re in that season for a purpose, a good purpose. Romans 8:28 says that everything (good and bad) works out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. You have a purpose. God wants to use your life to help others, encourage others and bring hope to others through your testimony of His goodness in your life. Keep sowing. You will see a harvest soon, I don’t know when, but God’s timing is perfect. Don’t give up. What do you need to sow to reap a harvest of what you’d like to see in your life? Ask the Lord and He will reveal it to you.
