Word of the Day
As the farmer waits for the rain with patience so must you wait for Me. The many years you have spent in preparation were necessary to the outcome I have planned.
It is like the farmer who takes a completely wooded area, overgrown and uncared for, and transforms it step by step into a rich and profitable piece of farmland-a beautiful garden. He understands the necessary steps and doesn’t require his land to produce before it is ready. Land forced into production before its time results in immature, disease-prone fruit. Therefore, the farmer gardens with patience, content to pursue the vision while valuing the process.
The process is as important as the outcome, teaching him perseverance and understanding (Colossians 1:10-12). Once the wooded area is turned into farmland, there will still be many days ahead requiring those lessons learned in the beginning. Standing on his porch with face to the horizon, waiting for rain, the farmer knows its arrival will signal the beginning of a new cycle. He has seen it before and learned well. This season, however; is to be different, yielding the fruit of a lifetime.
Envisioning his garden dancing with abundance before even one sprout pierces the soil allows him to rejoice beforehand. Beloved it is time for you to envision, imagine, see, believe and rejoice. Your time has come.
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains (James 5:7 NIV).
Prayer
Thank you Father for Your patience, for your understanding heart of compassion. Step by step you lead me, making my path straight and the rough way smooth. My mountains bow down and my valleys rise up. Together they make an even plain. I position myself to see what You see, to know what You know.
Bring to my remembrance all the lessons of life I have learned, enabling me to walk with patience. I have seen and learned well. I choose to believe, to see what you see, This time is different than all other times. I rejoice in You and as I do, my time will and has come.
Reflect and Journal:
1. In what ways have you struggled with your process?
2. Ponder some of the lessons you have learned and how they can be applied to your current circumstances.
1. Life is a long struggle, just learning and applying the lessons learned. The circumstances, situations and unexpected events that ruffle the outer self, as well as the inner. Learning to rely on Him within us, to listen to the small, still voice, and commit His laws to living each day in obedience, in love and in a total commitment to fulfill His will, not mine.
2. Yet there are signs of fulfillment and knowing that He cares unconditionally. I have repeated situations that I needed to learn how to handle His way, not mine. I have learned that I should pause and reconsider circumstances that “ruffle” me and pay attention to how HE wants me to handle it. It isn’t a fast process, but a life long classroom we are in…and age shouldn’t matter to the extent that experience teaches us. We learn at whatever stage of life we are in. But one thing I know…HE LOVES US and that is the most important thing in my life. I want to live up to HIS expectations.