(Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)  “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;”

Are you in a season wondering why there doesn’t seem to be increase? Home, finances, ministry, spiritual growth all seem to be stagnant. In some cases you seem to take two steps backward for every step you take forward. You are not in a season of reaping. It is frustrating. Your prayer life is dry and seemingly ineffective. Your Bible study seems to yield little. Your opportunities to give the gospel are few and far between. Why?

If you are not in the season of harvest then you are in the season of planting. Planting is the time when there is labor but you cannot see the end result yet. Planting is hard work. Planting is the time when much patience is required. Planting is the time when much faith is required. What you do in the season of planting affects the outcome. What you plant, how much you plant and where you plant will produce what you harvest.

If you are not happy with the harvest over the past year, look back at the seed, the ground, the frequency of watering and the amount of labor to find the problem. Fix it this coming year.

If you are in the season of planting, remain faithful. Keep planting good seed. Wait patiently. Trust that what you plant is going to grow and will break ground soon. The harvest will come. Just remember that it is God giving the increase.

Renewed Thought – All of us go through seasons of planting and harvesting. What we reap depends on what we sow.