Persevere

I had never grown vegetables before, so I decided to make a vegetable patch. I prepared the soil and sowed my seeds in trays.

I watered them and waited patiently.

Finally, I could see some shoots but not from all the seeds I had sown.

I was disappointed and started to worry that these remaining seeds might not germinate. However, I continued to water all my trays, and eventually, the others started to grow. Soon it was time to transfer my plants to the vegetable patch.

The ones that germinated last were a lot smaller than the others, but I planted them as well, wondering whether I might be wasting my time and effort.

Nevertheless, I continued to tend to all my plants: feeding, watering, and weeding. Eventually, I could not tell the difference between the earlier and later plants because the smaller ones had caught up with the larger, producing vegetables. My experience with the vegetable patch reminds me of our spiritual journey.

We may not be as knowledgeable as others, and at times we may be disappointed with ourselves as I was with my smaller plants.

I was not sure they would produce, but I continued to nurture them. And they persevered. Likewise, where we are lacking, we, too, must persevere and continue to feed on God’s Word so we can bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22, 23, KJV).

Just as I removed the weeds from my vegetable patch so that my plants could thrive, I must remove, with God’s help, anything that would keep me from walking closer to Him. Let us be patient and nurture those around us who may not be as far along in their Christian walk. Just as I persevered with my plants, God patiently works with us. He knows we are each different and will not grow at the same rate.

Yet He knows us individually and said that the very hairs of our heads are numbered (Matthew 10:30). He’s given us a wonderful promise as we continue to grow in Him: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV).

Jenetta Barker