Opinion/Resources/Christian Perspective

By Jenna Ditsch

Photo: Pixabay

SEED. TIME. HARVEST. If you are familiar with the Bible, then you’ve heard these words before. At first glance, the concept is straightforward. We see this process play out in the natural order of things. Seeds are planted. Time goes by. And, eventually, plants sprout up. 

Those who have tried their hand at gardening know that it isn’t quite this simple. Before planting seeds, the ground must be made ready. Dead dirt simply will not do. Seeds need living soil in order for them to become the plant hidden within. Time does not simply “go by.” The ground must be worked. Weeds need to be pulled. Plants need a certain amount of sun, water, and pruning. There must be a plan in place to protect the plants against insects and animals. And the harvest—even that does not come to fruition without the work of gathering—and not just gathering—but gathering at the right time. 

In our lives, we might call the HARVEST “purpose” or “promise.” I talked about purpose in my last blog. We get a promise from God about our future, and we get excited. We discover our purpose and are filled with zeal. We start our race with enthusiasm, optimism, and determination. Sometimes God works instantaneously—and we have an instant harvest of fulfillment in promise, purpose, or provision. We might refer to these times as miracles. But other times, in God’s infinite wisdom, He deems that process (time) is the best way forward. 

TANGLED UP IN TIME

Today’s blog will focus on this thing we too often get tangled up in—TIME. If we don’t understand how to navigate the pathway of time, we can trip all over it and find ourselves laying on the side of the road covered in bruises, feeling discouraged, worn out, and perhaps even hopeless. I know that’s happened to me before. And it might be happening to you right now.

To be honest with you, time has always been something I’ve wrestled against. It seems to be moving too fast or too slow. The reason I got tripped up on time is because I didn’t understand how God intended it to work in my life. 

Seed comes from God. Harvest comes from God—and so does Time. I knew that Jesus was the author and finisher of my faith, but I didn’t embrace that He was also the author of my time. People always told me, “God is outside of time. You have God, so you can be outside of time, too.” But I could never figure it out. While the waiting felt too long, it also felt like time was always running out.

PROCESS OR DELAY?

I got tripped up on time because of a small, but profound mislabeling. What God called “process”—the enemy lied to me and shouted, “Delay!”  The result of this? I judged myself. I agreed with the voice of the Accuser, and I didn’t even realize it. 

I judged the fruit in my life that I thought would fully ripen by now. I judged the health and financial milestones I thought I’d have reached by now. I judged the lack of opportunities that I thought would have come by now. Somewhere in the waiting, I began wondering. Wondering if I didn’t have enough faith. Wondering if I took a wrong turn and was wandering aimlessly in the wilderness. Wondering if I’d somehow messed everything up—without even realizing it. 

I knew that God could do no wrong—so I didn’t question Him. But with inspiration from the enemy, I questioned myself. Under the pressure of my perception of time, my purpose that was once clear now spiraled out of focus. God’s promises that once seemed near, suddenly seemed out of reach. The enemy told me that I was the reason things were not progressing as quickly as they should be. (I want to mention that sometimes we enter into delay and it is caused by our disobedience to God, but this is not always the case and is not the case in this example…I’ll share more about that in the next blog).

FOREVER PREGNANT?

I think time and process can be compared to being pregnant. Imagine a pregnant woman who in the beginning, believes that a baby will come at the appointed time. But after eight months of discomfort and lies from the enemy, begins to wonder if there is really a baby in there at all. Despite the heartbeat and the belly growing and the kicking, it begins to feel like she will be uncomfortably pregnant forever. 

If she doesn’t abort the process, there will come a day when something suddenly shifts. Contractions will intensify. Pain will increase. She might even feel that the process will kill her, but the ones who have gone before her will tell her to PUSH!  Because the only way through—is through. 

Her whole life will change drastically when that baby is in her arms. When she can see, hear, feel, nurture, and experience what was growing on the inside of her all along.

Time is a line, and every process has a beginning and an end. Let Jesus be the author of it all!

So, to the one who feels like time is not on your side—don’t give up! You’re almost there! 

Sure, all your pants are too tight, you feel uncomfortable, the heartburn is constant, and no matter which way you position your body, your back hurts. 

PROCESS PRODUCES LIFE

But God’s process WILL produce life if you let TIME and PROCESS complete its purpose in the hiddenness of the womb.

Don’t abort the vision-the mission-the purpose-the destiny-that God has placed on the inside of you. Through the suffering of the “carrying,” God’s plans for you will bear life.

All this time I thought that time was the enemy, when in fact, time was just the container that held the process. And when the process is God-ordained, there is always much purpose in it.

The HARVEST is at hand. When you’ve done all you can do—stand. The Bible doesn’t say that your weakness will be removed for you to suddenly feel only strength. It says that right there in the midst of your weakness, His strength will be made strong.

There is a time for all things—even time.

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The opinions in this article are specific to its author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire Counter Culture Mom team. 

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“No pain, no gain,” as the old saying goes. But what about when there seems like there’s a lot of pain—but no gain? Meet Jenna, an ordinary single mom, who had an extraordinary experience from “graveyard to garden” in the midst of a traumatic life collapse. In the span of a few weeks, she lost her husband, a close family member, her house, her job, and her dreams for the future. Jenna had reached the end of herself and had nothing left but a desperate plea for help, knowing that without supernatural intervention, she wouldn’t survive.

Jenna had a spiritual encounter in which she learned how the graveyard of all that had died in her life could in fact be the rich soil of a garden in which a new future could be grown.

Jenna is a versatile, forward-thinking strategist with extensive experience in education, writing, ministry, and coaching who desires to help the overwhelmed parent, educator, or writer desiring creative alternatives to “one-size-fits-all” parenting, education, and publishing.

 If you long for more but feel stuck settling for less, join Jenna on the journey to find God’s way through. Visit her website for more information!

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