For my devotions today, I was reading “Sparkling Gems from the Greek, II” by Rick Renner. He highlighted the scripture in Galatians, 6:9 that says, ‘and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’ Although I have read and even quoted this scripture, many times, today it seems more poignant. Whenever I read a scripture that specifically touches my heart, I ask myself the question, “What do I need to learn from this?” According to Dr Renner, this scripture is a specific mandate that we don’t give up, that we stay steady on the course and hold on. The reason for this is because there is a harvest that is coming IF we wait for it. The writer of Ecclesiastes stated that ‘for everything there is a season: a time to live, a time to die, a time to plant, a time to harvest…’
‍

We just have to wait for the right time.

‍
Have you ever felt like giving up, like letting go and walking away? I remember when Randy and I were living in Toccoa and going through a very discouraging time. We had a couple in our church that felt that it was time for a pastoral change. They started a letter-writing campaign and sent their letters to the entire membership of the church and officials in our denomination outlining all the reasons why we were unfit to pastor the church. We truly wanted to walk away and shake the dust of Toccoa off our feet. Amazingly, we began to get calls from other churches inviting us to move there and start a new life. Some of the offers were very lucrative and very tempting. These churches did not know what we were going through at the time and we really considered that maybe this was God’s hand giving us an escape from the turmoil! After one particularly difficult week and another job offer, I was praying and 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 came to my mind. In this particular scripture, Paul stated that he planted, Apollo watered but God gave the increase. The Lord spoke to my heart that we had planted and watered for many years in that town. We knew that God would bring a harvest but if we left at that time, someone else would see our harvest! After conversing again with Randy about this we decided that WE wanted to stay, continue to water and see the increase, the harvest that God had promised. We would fight this battle and live to tell about it, so to speak! As a result, we began to see a great revival and God did bring the harvest. If we had left Toccoa at that time, we would have lost that harvest. This past Saturday night I was talking with a friend from Toccoa who had to tell me some good news. When we were living there, she and her twin sister were dear friends of ours. Her sister and sister’s family were all in the church along with Deborah and her children. Deborah’s husband was not. For many years we prayed that he would come to the Lord and we just KNEW it would happen quickly. It didn’t. Randy told her that her husband WOULD become a believer and would one day follow Christ but still we waited. Over the years, my friends lost both parents, aunts, uncles, and then Deborah’s sister also died. Still her husband did not turn to Jesus. We continued to pray. Almost 30 years after we began praying, Deborah had to tell me that her husband accepted Christ as his Savior. It did not happen in a church service or a revival meeting. It didn’t happen as a result of any trauma. It happened because he began to see his need for Jesus and while on a bike ride, all alone, he stopped and asked for forgiveness for his sins! Deborah may have become discouraged in her prayers and wondered if it would ever happen, but she never let go of the dream of seeing him come to Christ.

Some of you may know that I am in the process of writing another book. It is entitled, 'Tapestry: a story of Adoption, Acceptance, and Destiny.'; This is a book that Randy and I began in September, 2020, just a few weeks before he died unexpectedly. It is actually his story and outlines the hand of God throughout his life. We did not know when we began this project that I would be doing it alone. It has been hard. There have been times that I wanted to walk away and throw everything in the garbage. There have been times that I could not type another word or complete a thought because the grief was overwhelming; however, I have a job to do. It is important for all of us to understand that God always has a plan, a purpose and a design and it is our job to do the next right thing. I will not stop until it is finished, no matter how much or how difficult it may be. I want to reap in due season and not faint.

Don’t let go of your dream. Don’t pluck up your harvest or allow someone else to reap the benefits of what you have planted unless God has instructed that you are finished with that job. I know it is hard right now. I know that it would be much easier to walk away and throw your hands up in the air yelling, “I QUIT!” Don’t do it. Your weariness and frustration can be taken and given to your heavenly Father. Take a minute and rest but don’t quit. Take heart in knowing that according to God’s word, that you WILL reap. You will have a harvest, if you don’t give up.

‍