Seed Planting
- The Narrow Path
- Sep 8, 2023
- 2 min read
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow (1 Corinthians 3:6-7, NIV).
I love seeing pictures on Facebook of the bountiful harvest from my friend’s gardens this year.
Social media can be deceptive. I’ve seen pictures of the harvest, but not necessarily the hard work of seed planting that began months ago.
We often see the results, but don’t fully understand the cost. In this case, it was a lot of time kneeling in the dirt, planting seeds, and praying for a harvest.
Another friend loves to garden, too. However, her schedule in the spring is crazy, which can make it hard to get the seeds in the ground, or tend the soil enough to produce a healthy crop.
Does life ever make you feel that way? Like you can’t quite keep up and do what is necessary to produce the outcomes you desire. Me too.
We are all faced with the challenge of balancing our life roles in a way that allows us to be fruitful, and to generate a great harvest for the Lord.
When I first started meeting with sports teams last year as part of my role with FCA, I remembered feeling a little inadequate. “Lord, am I even making an impact? Meeting with the team once a week, for 10-15 minutes. That’s not enough to make a difference.
Immediately, I was reminded of the story from 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 that says: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
This verse has the potential to make us feel frustrated–like we don’t have enough time to make an impact, that we often don’t have control over the outcomes of our circumstances, or knowing how much work we put into planting seeds with no guarantee of what will grow.
I have learned to view this scripture differently. When I lean into these words of truth, they guide and grow my view of how God uses us. If we are open to following His call God will grow the seeds we plant, in every area of our lives.
I may only have 5 minutes with a team. I may only meet some of these student-athletes one time. But every opportunity I get to meet with them, and share the name of Jesus is a seed planting opportunity. And when I remind myself that Jesus is the ultimate gardener, the one who makes things grow, I can walk in obedience and leave the results up to Him.
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