Harvest Time

This is the best time of the year!

Ana’s garden is growing like crazy and I’m reaping the benefits!
Garden-fresh tomatoes, crisp just-picked cucumbers, delicious zucchini, mouth-watering summer squash! I am a lucky man!

All this bounty didn’t just happen, though. It took a lot of hard work. Tilling up the soil, fertilizing, fertilizing, planting seeds, and endless watering. It was a lot of work, but If we’d left the soil as we’d found it, we’d have grown nothing but weeds. We had to break it down, till it up, before we could hope to reap a harvest.

God’s been doing something similar to me in the last few weeks. He’s been breaking me down, teaching me submission, surrender, acceptance. He’s been tearing down my pride, helping me learn to trust, even when life doesn’t seem to make sense.

It hasn’t been a pleasant experience, which is why I haven’t been able to write the last couple weeks. The inner struggle has left me so drained I had nothing left to give. Yet, I find it’s been worth it all.

Through it all, I am slowly learning true victory is found only in surrender and to grow in Christ I must first bury self. I’m finding I don’t need to understand the “why”, because I know “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

I suspect many of you are going through similar experiences right now. Some of you are out of work, dealing with illness, or have had plans fall through. You’re left wondering why God’s abandoned you, why you can’t hear His voice, why He leaves your prayers unanswered.

The truth is, it is in times like these, when God seems the farthest away, He is actually the closest. He is at work in you “to equip you with all you need for doing his will.” (Hebrews 13:21). Like a loving father He is using these trials to prepare the soil of your heart, break down your pride and self-reliance, and teach you to trust in Him.

The process is not always “enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrew 12:11).

Trust the Master Gardener. He knows what He’s doing. Let Him “plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12) Ask Him to plant in you “the good seeds of righteousness” that “you will harvest a crop of love.”

God promises “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” (Romans 8:18). “At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9).

So hang in there! Let God work and remember, “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.” (Psalm 126:5) So rejoice – Harvest Time is almost here!