The Waiting Season

"Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..." - Isaiah 40:31

One of my favorite things to do during the warmer months is to garden. There is something so satisfying about being able to tend to a garden and then harvesting juicy fruits and vegetables that you’ve spent so much time cultivating. As I’ve done this over the years, I’ve realized the importance of giving them what they need: plenty of sunshine, water, and proper care. One thing I’ve learned through gardening is to give my plants time before I see any fruit. It could take anywhere from a few weeks to months before I see anything at all! Irrespective of what I see, I know that I’ve planted the seed and it’s only a matter of time before I can harvest the fruit. However, I have to be patient so as to not disrupt the growth process of my plants. If I get too hasty when I see a little bud I’ll want to pick the fruit right away even though it hasn’t fully developed yet. So I wait and wait some more…

The same thing can be said about us as we flow through life. Maybe we are expecting something to happen in our family or the life of a loved one that we’ve been praying for, but no fruit yet. We may feel tempted to throw our hands up in the air when it isn’t coming to pass as we expected, uprooting the fruit before its time. Let us consider that like gardening, we have to wait patiently for the fruit to mature and ripen. Time, the elements, and several other factors can impact this process, but a harvest can still be expected. Maybe God has a specific work that he needs to accomplish before the fruit manifests. Whether that be emotional healing, character development, or bringing those he loves closer to him, God has a purpose behind every delay. When there is a delay, it doesn’t mean never, just not yet. When we don’t see things materialize yet, we need to trust God even more that he is working behind the scenes. If we try to uproot the fruit prematurely through our own works, we could destroy the whole thing and end up devastated.

Our God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). As we wait God is trying to plant within us the fruits of the spirit, one of the most evident being patience. Spiritual fruit far supersedes the fruit that we see in the natural and is long-lasting! Psalm 27:13-14 says “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (New International Version). I love these verses because we can see firsthand how David waited upon the Lord expectantly. He had complete confidence that he would experience the goodness of God. His posture then was to remain steadfast in the Lord, knowing that God would bring it to pass at the appointed time.

One of the best things we can do as we wait for promises to come to pass is to maintain a positive attitude and outlook on life. Having a good attitude is like watering a seed that you’ve sown. It is a bold sign of faith that shows God that we are expectant and have faith in what he promises to bring to pass. So let us keep our hope stayed firm in the Lord, learning to flow with him and watch him bless us in abundance.