Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. (James 5:7-8)

Sweat coated the face of the farmer as he climbed off his tractor and surveyed his field. Seeds were in the ground. He’d done his part, now it was up to the Lord. He couldn’t control the heat of the sun nor the amount of rain that would fall. But as tiring as the past months had been, the hardest work lay ahead. Waiting. Praying for rain, but not too much. Sun, but not too much. Beneficial insects, but not the destroying kind. Any of those factors would alter his income for the year, but he could only wait.

Sometimes you’ve done all you can do. You’ve loved, hoped, believed, prayed, worked, and sacrificed. You’ve done your part and now it’s up to the Lord. Waiting can be the hardest part. We want to rush ahead, try to fix it, force it, make something happen. But it’s not up to us. When we know we’ve done all God expects us to do, we’re told to take courage. Trust Him. It’s not time for harvest yet. Like a farmer waiting for his crops to ripen, we wait eagerly for the Lord to act. If the farmer grew impatient and dug up the crops a month early, all would be ruined. So it is with us. When we get tired of waiting for the Lord, we take matters into our own hands and ruin everything. Instead, we can take courage as we wait patiently for His harvest.

Final Thought:  When waiting has become the hardest part, take courage. You are learning patience while God is working.

Prayer: Father, this convicts me. I get so tired of waiting for what I long for. I’ve done all I know to do, so help me develop character and patience during this season of waiting. Your harvest will be worth it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.