And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9 KJV
One thing I am not ashamed to admit is that I sometimes have an issue with patience. I am happy to report that I am indeed making progress in this area, especially as it relates to dealing with other people. However, there are some areas that I still struggle with. For example, cooking! Cooking isn’t therapeutic for me as it is for some. It’s a job, a necessity, something that has to be done because I love eating! And usually, when it’s time to cook, I’m hungry so it needs to be done fast. For example, I want to put water on the stove and turn the heat all the way up so I can add my pasta or hard boil eggs quickly. I want to put my bagel in the toaster on the highest setting so it will get nice and toasty, quick. I have tried to turn the oven to 400 so my chicken or steak cooks faster…as you can imagine, none of these cooking technique worked out very well. My water with pasta boils over, my bagel gets burnt and my chicken and steak are too well done. Now what, I have a mess, my food is gross, annnnd I am still hungry…
This pretty much sums up how we move through life sometimes! We see a vision. See our dreams. See our goals. Then we rush to get there, often times making a mess of things. Its part of this microwave society that we live in. Life is moving fast. Information is readily accessible. People seem to be progressing faster. So, when we want something done, we want it done RIGHT NOW.
Here’s the point: We cannot go through life, turning up the heat and using microwaves. The difficulty in all this is the wait. The patience. The process. See, as we wait and go through the process, things happen that cause us to be discouraged. Events occur that interrupt our perfectly laid plan. Someone says something that makes us second guess
our mission. We have to understand that all of this is part of the process. Take an apple tree for example: once you plant seeds for the tree, it doesn’t produce apples the next day. As a matter of fact, it takes on average 6 years for an apple tree to fully blossom. But look at how much work goes in before you even get one apple!
You have to process the seeds, find a good pot for them, water them, put them by the sunlight, and once there is growth, move the plant outside. But first, find the right soil, measure the soil to ensure space for the roots, dig a hole, drop in the plant, water the soil, cover with fertilizer. As the tree is growing, keep watering, replace the fertilizer, shape the branches, remove the weeds, remove excess branches. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. 6 years later, you will have apples.
With all of this work you are putting into the apple tree, guess what happens. Rain and storms come. Animals come to pee on your soil then try to steal your mini buds. The sun heats up too much drying things out. All of situations cause setbacks for your tree, but the tree doesn’t die. The tree is resilient, if you continue to nurture it, it will still produce the apple like its supposed to, when its supposed to.
But us….We give up to fast. We get too discouraged. We let the storm and rains and vultures and heat detour us from the process. We try to rush the process or move in a different direction, instead of being firmly planted. Let’s be resilient like the tree!
The key verse today encourages us to keep pushing. If we don’t give up, don’t get tired, don’t complain…if we stick with the work, it’ll come to fruition! The Bible tells us over and over that we will have struggles. We will be tempted and attacked. It also tells us that we can handle it (Phil4:13)! And that all things, good or bad, happy or sad, work together for our good (Romans 8:28). As we think about our responsibilities at home, our work, our goals, we must consider the process. What will it take. Are we doing our part on the front end. Are we allowing time for God to do His part.
Things may not be happening as fast as I like but… its a process.
My relationship keeps hitting snags but..it’s a process.
My business may not be growing as fast but…it’s a process.
My ministries is not be reaching anyone but…it’s a process.
I keep getting thrown off track but…it’s a process.
By no means am I condoning procrastination or delay but I am challenging you to push through the bumps! It’s a process, and we must work it! Remember the apple tree. And in due season, you will reap if you don’t give up!
#LadyZSpeaks #WorkTheProcess #DontGiveUp #standfirm #beplanted #MakeRoom #DueSeason #BearFruit #ALadyInTransition
Peace. Blessings. Love.
Lady Z
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