“So then neither is he that planteth any thing,
neither he that watereth;
but God that giveth the increase.
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one:
and every man shall receive his own reward
according to his own labour.”
1 Corinthians 3:7-8
Planting takes patience, lots…of…patience. That’s one of the exciting things about gardening—waiting for the first signs of green to spring up from the tender soil. It’s the same for all the seeds we plant in the many gardens of our lives. Waiting is the name of the planting game. Seeing the fruit of our labors doesn’t happen overnight. It takes seasons of waiting. Seeds have to go through the slow, growing process and, for gardeners; those daily changes are a wonderful miracle to watch. Seeing God increase our fruitfulness is inspirational.
Some people don’t understand gardening or a gardener’s fascination with planting gardens. I laughed the day my Mom (who was also known for murdering a plant or two) asked me this question,
“Beth, what is it that you like so much about gardening and plants?”
With a shocked glaze, I answered, “Mom, you really don’t know?”
“No, I don’t get it.” She said. (Gardening really wasn’t her thing.)
I replied, “Mom, it’s seeing the daily growth and small changes and watching the fruit of my labor bud
before my eyes from the efforts of my planting. Every tiny bud is a beautiful gift and miracle.”
She said, “Oh, okay. I see what you mean but I still don’t get it.”
Lol…and she didn’t. She was never drawn to digging in the dirt, but she loved flowers and photographed them every chance she got.
Planting by Faith
Lately, I haven’t seen the fruit of my efforts like I would like to see, but, I hope and believe that I will reap where I’ve sown one day. So, I keep planting seeds by faith and nurturing their growth in my garden, in people and in projects. And, I know God will increase the harvest in His own way and time.
Planting takes believing. Believing that the seeds we put in the rich, dark soil of our homes, gardens and hearts will sprout with life. As we make investments in the seeds of our faith. We can trust God to cause our good works to grow and produce the harvest we long for. While we may not always see the growth in the ways we prefer, God promises us that we will reap what we sow.
Waiting for Growth
Sometimes, seeds don’t take root. Sometimes, unexpected hindrances stifle the growth and ruin the crop and we have to plant again. Sometimes, the visible growth takes longer than we expect. The seeds we plant in our gardens of life can struggle to grow and produce. Waiting to see fruitful results can weary us and be difficult. But, if we wait patiently, growth will eventually show in due time.
Praying for Fruit
God is the master gardener. He is the one who Created nature and planted the very first garden on earth, and he is the one who designed everyone and everything to produce fruit. We can trust that He knows what he’s doing.
“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden….”
Genesis 2:8a
We can rest in the fact that God provides the increase of our planting efforts, Of course we still have to do our part and prepare the soil, plant the seeds, water, weed and nurture our efforts. As we work and wait, we can pray that God will help us see the increased fruitfulness we desire.
God knows where and when we need an increase in our lives. And, when the season is right, fruit will come. We’ll recognize His handiwork when we see it. I’m waiting (as patiently as possible) to see cute, little, green sprouts wiggling out of the soil from the seeds I’m planting.
Are you planting any seeds in faith this year? Or, are you waiting to see growth from seeds you already planted? Let’s pray together that God will bless our gardens and increase our harvest.
BRINGING IT HOME
What seeds are you planting and hoping to see grow in your life’s gardens this year?
Growing With You,
Smiles, BRC
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