in between the sowing and the reaping

Those who sow in tears

shall reap with shouts of joy!

He who goes out weeping,

bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 126:5-6

Thank You, Lord, for this encouraging reminder from this song of the patient sowing and joyful reaping that you promise in my life. I need this reminder, for I am in a season between sowing and reaping, waiting for the time of harvest to bring blessing. And I confess, my God, that I have been discouraged in this long wait. In one instance it has been years now.

But Your Spirit through Your Word encourages me to repent of my self-focused despair and to by faith keep sowing the seeds even as I wait. You used the words of a good friend who wasn't even speaking to me yesterday to remind me of this. God, thank You for being faithful. Help me, please, to be content even if I faithfully sow, and someone else after me sees the harvest.

Lord, You know what I am waiting for. You know the pain in waiting that both my wife and I share now as a harvest of joy seems so very, very far away for us. Yet I pray that in my home and family we would faithfully wait, trust You for whatever harvest awaits us, and find joy. We want to exult in shouts of joy!

Amen