PLANT TODAY, THEN BE PATIENT FOR THE HARVEST

Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. Psalm 126:5·6 (NLT)

The time to start planting is now. I talk to people all the time that say, “One of these days, I’m going to…” They’re going to serve more when they retire. They’re going to give more when they get a raise. Whatever it is they’re going to do more of, they’re going do it “one of these days.” But “one of these days” becomes none of these days. Don’t wait for things to get better; start planting seeds now. Why? Because the sooner you plant, the sooner you will enjoy the harvest. But the harvest will not come according to your timetable. There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping. You plant in one season, and harvest in another. You have to be patient and not give up! Paul teaches: Let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest (Galatians 6:9). The results will come, but they will come slowly and as part of a process. What should you do in the meantime? Forget about last year’s crop failure. Instead, focus on the long-term harvest in your life. What loss have you been grieving over? Maybe you’ve lost a loved one. Maybe you’ve lost your health. Maybe you’ve lost your job, or your savings, or your retirement. Maybe you’ve lost your dream. Mourning is ok; moaning is not. Instead of moaning, you need to plant a seed, because nothing grows until a seed is planted. Whatever you need more of, you need to give away. Don’t wait for “one of these days.” Today is the day to plant the seed. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.