Don't Give Up!
We have been very busy lately. I am sure you can relate. From relationships to work. Daily demands of life to planned events. Running from here to there.
At times, it starts to feel like too much. But oddly enough, we have been more filled up than we have been in years. 39 weeks pregnant with our first child and have an indescribable peace and joy in the waiting. A peace that transcends understanding. A peace that rides above what we are going through. A peace and joy from the Lord.
This morning, Nick and I took time to reflect with each other and spend time reading God’s Word, over coffee :) Amidst all the busyness, we hadn’t taken much time to connect with each other and invest in our marriage the past week. We took note of the incredible ways God has been showing up, after inviting Him to lead our lives around 7 years ago. We talked about the hills, the valleys, and how following Jesus has been the most challenging, yet rewarding journey of our lives. We shared tears and soaked up this time together before entering into a new season - a season of a newborn, a season of uncertainty, and joy. We asked for God to give us His wisdom for this new season - wisdom for the ministries of our marriage, parenting, relationships, community, and BOLD3.
The one underlying message we received from the Lord was: Don’t give up and keep sowing seeds, even when it’s hard and mundane!
There were so many times over the past 3 years where we wanted to give up on the ministry of BOLD3. To give up on planting seeds that seemed to bear little, to no fruit.
Do you ever feel this way? That you continue to do what God is calling you to, but don’t see the fruit? Finding yourself discouraged, defeated, wanting to give up? That it’s too hard, or too boring?
Asking yourself: “Is it even worth it? Does it even matter what I am doing?” “Will they ever come to church or accept Christ?” “Will my son or daughter ever come back to the Lord?” “Will my marriage ever improve?”
We have been there in many areas of our lives and I want to encourage you today. Every seed you plant for the Lord is worth it. It is never wasted. You may see fruit right away, or you may not see the fruit for 5, 10, or 15 years. You may not even see it here on earth, but every seed has a purpose.
Every time you speak life into someone, every time you selflessly serve someone else, every time you make dinner for your family, every diaper you change, every time you lay yourself down for others, every time you serve at church - every interaction and seed you plant matters!
Did you know that the coffee seed takes 4 years to bear fruit?!
“You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:7-9)
Takeaways from this verse and what we have been learning:
1.) We harvest what we plant.
- If we are planting seeds of unforgiveness, anger, rage, and jealousy - we will reap more of that in our lives and in our relationships. I have experienced this in our marriage and other relationships. Truthfully, all this does is make life all about me and... miserable. Today, let’s evaluate what seeds we are planting. God calls us to plant seeds of His Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. When we do this, we please Him and harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
2.) There is more peace and joy when we serve others and lay ourselves down for Christ. To please Him, over people or ourselves.
- When we lay ourselves down, we serve Christ! We conquer evil, by doing good for Him. Let all that we do be for Him and His glory.
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” -Galatians 2:20
3.) Even if we don’t see the fruit, we must not grow tired and give up! At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing.
- God’s timing is perfect and His ways are higher. He truly is in charge of the harvest and is the One who does the heavy lifting. We are only called to sow seeds of obedience, He is the one who grows and brings forth the fruit. Be faithful to what He calls you to plant and trust Him with the results and the harvest.
“I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6)
These truths are so relevant for the world we live in. For a world that makes the mundane seem unimportant, meaningless, or without purpose. But, there is tremendous joy in the mundane. We were encouraged this morning to find joy in the small things this coming season. It may not always seem like changing diapers, date nights, and cooking dinner is creating fruit, but it is. God does the best work in the simple, repetitive, seemingly mundane part of our lives.
Great things are built over time with a whole lotta Jesus and us continuing to sow seeds of obedience.
As Nick and I prayed together over all of the above, God led us to Genesis 1:11:
“Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened.”
WOW, just wow. How incredible! We read Galatians 6 today which is all about, harvesting what we plant! And then, God led us to the beginning when He created every sort of seed bearing plant. Love how God speaks to us through His Word.
We harvest what we plant. Together, let’s boldly plant seeds of God’s goodness, love, faithfulness, and truth wherever we go. To our kids, spouses, friends, family, neighbors, strangers, doctors, co-workers - to the ends of the earth!
One seed. One person. One story at a time. No seed is ever wasted by God and will bear fruit in His timing. Continue to sow seeds of obedience, even if you don’t see the harvest right away. God is in control and will bring forth the fruit! Don’t give up, Friends! The harvest of blessing will come! Pray to the Lord of the harvest.“Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:37-38
Don’t give up!
In Christ,
Jess
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