A few years ago, I was talking with a good friend of mine who is a missionary’s wife to the country of Wales. She and her husband are in a stage of life ahead of Andrew and me. Her children are older, and she has had more experience in the ministry than I have. As we were talking, I was sharing my heart with her that this stage of our lives has been the most challenging so far. Andrew was working full time and also working to grow our business on the side. We were searching and praying for the right house. Our son was six months old and requiring much time and attention. I was working toward accomplishing goals we had for our business. I was sharing with my friend that I know in my heart that the work we are doing now will help us in the future, but it can be very overwhelming at times. She listened to what I had to say and gave me some very good advice. She said, “I know it’s hard now, but it’s just a season, and you’re going to be so happy later in life that you did the work you’re doing now.”
The reminder she gave me that “it’s just a season” has carried me through when I have felt the most overwhelmed. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: We, like all young Christians, are in a season of sowing at this time. When we are young, the quality of our work and walk with God will determine our harvest later in life.
Galatians 6:9 says, And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. I remember when I was in the season of sowing in the area of education. I went to Bible college for four and a half years, and there were times when I grew so weary. Keeping up with grades, bills, being away from home, and all of the little challenges that came with being in school felt so overwhelming. That season of sowing was difficult, but now I am in the harvest of that previous area of my life. I am so glad that I did not quit when I felt weary. The lessons I learned from that season help me every day to be a better wife, a better mother, and a better Christian.
I remember growing weary in the season of dating. Although it was enjoyable and memorable, there was also hurt as well as the challenge of being patient and listening for the voice of the Lord. I remember feeling overwhelmed in that season of life, but I cannot begin to explain how thankful I am to the Lord and to many wonderful counselors that I did not grow weary and give up. I have an amazing Christian husband, and I get to enjoy the harvest from that season for the rest of my life. Waiting is one of the most challenging ways of “sowing,” but we must not grow weary and give up. The harvest is worth the work.
Having young children is definitely a season of sowing. The long nights and the days when it seems as if there is no comforting a crying baby can make us grow weary very quickly. Although I have not reached it yet, the teenage years bring challenges and often disappointments and hurt. When I feel overwhelmed, I often think of my husband’s parents. They have three children, and they are all serving the Lord with the mate that God has for them. When we get together as a family, I see his parents enjoying the harvest of all of the years of sowing. They watch their children grow in the ministry. They enjoy their grandchildren and have the joy of knowing that they are being raised in Christian homes. They went through every stage of sowing: the sleepless nights, the “terrible twos,” the financial sacrifice of Christian education, the hours of driving the children to sports practices and fundraisers. They did the work, and now they get to enjoy the harvest. I do not mean to say that if a child turns away from the Lord, the parents did not work hard enough. Sin creeps in, just as weeds creep into our seeds and choke them out, no matter how much we work. This is truly a tragedy, but peace will still come in the harvest from knowing we did the work that God gave us.
I hope this devotion will be an encouragement to someone as my friend’s words were an encouragement to me. “It’s just a season.” Proverbs 13:19 says, The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul:… Whether in a season of waiting, a season of illness, or a season of financial hardship, stay faithful and do not grow weary! The harvest will be sweet to our souls!
by Elizabeth Myers
