A Time to SowSýnishorn

Waiting for the Harvest

Every four years (with 2020 being an exception), the world highly anticipates watching athletes representing their countries compete for gold medals at the Olympics. In the 2016 Olympics in Rio, over 3.6 billion people watched the events – that’s nearly half of our world’s population. The stories of the journey to become an Olympic champion inspire us all. Years of hard work, preparation and perseverance all for this one moment – for some it’s a several hour marathon and for others it’s a less-than-10-second race. The majority of those athletes (if not all) will tell you the journey to get where they are today was worth it, even if the trek wasn’t easy.

Although you are most likely not preparing to compete in the Olympics, you may understand the commitment, pain and determination it took to get where you are today. The hardest moments are often while you are in the process of being shaped and molded for what God has called you to do. You may experience grief, have to let go of certain dreams or make sacrifices along the way. 

Galatians 6:9 encourages us to keep pressing forward, as it says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” There will be times when you feel tired, discouraged and disappointed. In those moments (and really every moment), that’s when you need to cling to God. You might not reap a harvest when you are expecting it. The seasons you go through are crucial for your growth and to produce a prosperous harvest.

One of the best examples of waiting for the harvest in the Bible is seen in Joseph’s life. After being sold by his brothers, falsely accused and imprisoned, he was later put in charge of Egypt by Pharaoh. Although it took numerous years and many hardships before he reaped his harvest, God intended his story to be used for good and the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20).

Some seeds you sow will come to fruition earlier than others. There may even be seeds that take years to produce a harvest. However, you have to trust God through the process. There are circumstances you will face – good and bad – that will shape you into the person God has called you to be. By fixating too much on the end, you may miss out on essential lessons God is teaching you during the journey.