“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” -James 5:7-8
Waiting is embedded in to our daily lives. Although we have learned to wait—it is often conditional. We have grown accustomed to waiting with limitations and boundaries. Society has given us shortcuts, not led by the Holy Spirit. We have found ways to hurry the waiting season because we are uncomfortable and do not desire suffering. Patience has become a hard obtained virtue; when-in-fact, patience is a reflection of the fruit of the Spirit. To be known by love and to spread love is to be patient. To understand is to embrace patience. Our trials perfect our patience. We have often traded patience for passiveness, and waiting for withdrawing. Just as James 5:7-8 tells us, how a farmer patiently waits for the rain required to aid the growth of his crops. The farmer is mindful that the rain only comes certain times of the year; therefore, creating an awareness and environment of patience for the right timing. What if we embraced the same principle of patience with our own seasons? There is an established time for us to experience the rain. Sometimes it may feel as if your crops are not growing. You may struggle in the midst of the drought—the rain will come. Everything that you are experiencing is refining your patience with the Holy Spirit. A great harvest incorporates waiting. In order to bear fruit, The Vine is required. Apart from the Father, we cannot sustain what we are trying to grow in our own hands. Everything in God’s creation must yield to His voice and timing. The crops you planted through patience will precipitate heaven’s glory for you.
The farmer does not sit idly by and do nothing before the rain. There is preparation that is taking place before the rain comes. The farmer is taking the proper steps to ensure that his crops will receive the best possible results from the rain. What if that was our posture? In our patience, we can ask God to give us vision and the works necessary to create an atmosphere of His fullness. How can you increase your patience to produce the fruit needed in this season? The Bible is marked by many miracles, but many of those miracles did not happen in a hurry. Some of the most influential stories of enduring the waiting season are chronicled throughout the Bible. The story of Hannah was marked by patience. The life of David was marked by patience. The assignment of Joseph was marked by patience. They had to put themselves in the shoes of a farmer awaiting the rain. They prepared for the purpose of the downpour. Anything that is going to break strongholds and cause change for the Kingdom will always require a wait. God wants us to gain wisdom and knowledge in what He is doing, rather than just receiving what comes from the wait. The most beautiful glories have been birthed in the wait. The biggest and most impactful harvest has to go through its timing of drought, pruning, and preparation. Let this season be distinguished by your patience through suffering and joy. The Lord is coming. The rain is near.
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