Faithfulness requires patience. Belief in God or even in what God can do does not speed up what God will do. The farmer can do no more than wait for the harvest to come. Once the work has been done, there’s no hastening its yield. Trying to can ruin what hope there is for a harvest.
When it comes to planting and harvesting, we know approximate times. We do not pinpoint exact moments and that can drive us up the wall.
I agree with the person who said pastors should learn more from farmers than CEOs. The only way to lead a congregation without patience is through control. And that does not benefit anyone. It actually creates harm. Farmers don’t control their work. Instead, they work with wisdom and diligence, trusting God for what comes next. Pastors should not seek to control those under their care. They should do the hard work of praying for their church more than anyone else, trusting what God will do.
All Christians would do well to learn patience too. We all need to give up our desire for control. Our hyper planning and arranging are often our mistrust of God disguised. If the church leans too much on CEO models, that disguise may get rewarded, but it does not offer spiritual depth. It is when we learn to wait with patience that we truly put our lives in the hands of God.
But what are we waiting for? Ultimately, we’re waiting for “the coming of the Lord” (James 5:8). Beyond that, we wait for the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit to take root in our hearts.
And how do we know when it’s time to stop waiting? When is the harvest ready? I’ve been with farmers who know when it’s time to pick their crop. There are signs to wait for, as I understand it. Now, maybe they had a more complex perspective beyond that. If they did, they didn’t share it. Their words were simply akin to, “You just know.”
So, we patiently wait because it’s the only way we’ll learn to be more faithful.
Stay blessed…john