SLOW GROWTH

The spring soil was prepared, the seeds were finally planted. The sun beamed down, the rains came and still the seeds didn’t seem to be sprouting.

Being impatient waiting for those little green shoots to appear, my inclination was to dig around, to see what was delaying the germination process. I restrained myself, knowing that if I dug up the seeds to check on their progress, I would destroy any life that would be coming forth.

Oh, how impatient we become with ourselves . . . and with others as we wait for spiritual growth and some maturing to appear. We expect growth to take place . . . NOW! We forget that growth of all kinds is usually slow. Roots need time to strike downward. New life needs time to develop.

Let’s be patient with ourselves . . . and with others as God brings spiritual growth and maturity. The rate of growth is of His determining, not ours.

. . . make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self control, and self control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love. I Peter 5:7

Heavenly Father, please help me to lay my life and that of others into Your hands, knowing that You will bring the increase as You see fit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.