Some seasons in life are hard; really, really, really, hard.  Those times when our patience, our faith, our stamina is tested by struggle, by suffering, or by temptation.  Seasons of long tedious days and short restless nights, marked by worry and stained by stress.

One of the biggest temptations during seasons of suffering is to stop sowing.  To give up, to quit, to walk or even run away.

Instead of giving compliments we utter complaints.  Instead of thinking of ways to bless we search for something to blame.  Times for devotions become used for seeking distractions.  We stop pouring out affections to wallow in our afflictions.

Been there.  Done that.

It is not delightful nor does it end well.

In times of trial planting the little that we have takes a whole lot of hope and faith.  Faith to bury the seed in the ground not knowing what will happen next.

We can spend large amounts of time anticipating, estimating, forecasting how we think the future will go.  When the forecast fails, the firmness of our faith will be revealed.  Was our hope in what we expected the future to be or was our hope in the Lord?

Through torrents of tears we have to decide what to do with what we have left, despite what we have lost.  Will we hold the seed gripped in our hands until its ability to grow is gone or will we let it go to be planted in hopes of future harvest?

Do we remember the promises of the Lord of redemption?  Or do we ruminate on our regrets?

“Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.” 
Psalm 126:5-6 (NIV)

Take the seed you have left.  Take the tears cried.  Plant them for the Lord of redemption to grow.  Hold on to the hope that the Lord is good, despite the accuracy of future forecasts.  Let the Lord see you through the journey, so that you may experience the joy.

Live it Out

Are you facing any trials or crying any tears right now?  What seed do you have left in your hands?  What are you going to do with that seed?

Your trials, struggles, strains, they may be so painful.  The soil beneath your feet may be turning into a puddle of mud from all of your tears.  You may doubt your strength and ability to continue on.  You may feel insecure not knowing what will happen, and filled with unbelief from what has happened in the past.  You may want to throw your seeds in anger and frustration.

But don’t let go just yet.  There is a God who loves you so fully, who can do great things from the tiniest of seeds.  The scripture from Psalm 126 does not say those who sow in happiness, it says those who sow in tears.  God knows we will have trials that cause us to cry.  His word is there to coax and encourage us to keep planting despite the trials and the tears.

Take that seed you have in your hand.  Place it in the dirt of daily life.  Cover it up like you are tucking it in for a restful night of sleep.  Allow your faith to fuel your efforts as you work through the row of days that lie before you.  One seed at a time.  Even if those seeds are watered by tears.

Pray Through It

Beloved Lord, 

Thank You for faithfully growing goodness out of the seeds we plant in our lives.  Thank You for taking what little we have and using it bring a harvest.  

Lord, please help us when we are struggling, when we are suffering, when we are treading through the tears of trial to keep planting.  When we don’t want to let go, when we want to give up, please encourage us one seed at a time to press on and persevere. 

Please Lord, help us to have joy for this journey.  Bring harvests that would feed our faith with nourishment that would give us strength to endure times of famine.  May our hope be held in who You are and not in what we have in our hands.  

In the name of Jesus who sowed through His suffering in love for each of us, amen.