It’s Harvest Time

I do not have a green thumb. In fact, I might have whatever the opposite of that is, a withered, crispy, ‘please-don’t-trust-me-with-your-plants’ thumb. And yet, strangely enough, green is my favourite colour. Unfortunately, when the Lord was handing out the ability to nurture and grow things, He must have skipped right over me with a loving but firm, “Not this one.”

Meanwhile, my mother and sister practically have a gardening anointing. They plant, they nurture and somehow, things actually grow. I think they may even be the type to talk to their plants like old friends. My mother, bless her heart, has tried numerous times to rope me into her joy of gardening and when I’ve politely declined, she’s occasionally taken it very personally. But one day, I finally found the right words to explain myself.

It was over the phone I said to her, “Mum, I love how much joy your garden brings you. I love that you’re constantly experimenting and planting new things and that you want to share that excitement with me. Please, never stop telling me about it because I genuinely enjoy hearing all about your plants. But you and I, we’re in two very different seasons of life. Right now, my main focus is keeping your grandchildren alive and maintaining my own sanity in the process. So, if I don’t seem eager to join in, please don’t take offence, it’s just not my thing. Maybe when the kids are older, that’ll change. But in the meantime, I will happily listen to your plant updates while standing at a safe, soil-free distance.”

I thank God for the wisdom to say that because now, my mother no longer tries to force me into the garden. Instead, she comes into my yard and takes over. She plants things and inspects them on every visit. She even gives Ceaser strict watering and pruning instructions as if he were a full-time employee at her personal greenhouse. And then, she calls me with updates, updates I absolutely did not ask for.

“That tree has started flowering! Have you checked on it?”

The answer is always the same: “Nope.”

Cue the dramatic eye roll. Then, with the exasperation of a woman who truly can’t believe she raised such a child, she declares, “I’ll just give Caleb and Chiara instructions because clearly, you are not interested in nice things.”

She’s not entirely right. I am interested in nice things, just not in the effort it takes to create them. However, when it comes time to harvest and eat all these wonderful homegrown goodies? Oh, you better believe I’m very interested. I have no shame in admitting it I am here for the fruits, and vegetables, of her labour.

Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.” ~ Mark 4:26-27 (NLT)

I’ve been getting the feeling in my spirit that harvest time is upon me. Kinda like some of the things I’ve been praying about since 2020, things I’ve been faithfully doing in secret and places I’ve been sowing into are finally bringing forth their harvest. If I’m being completely honest, the past five years have been hellishly difficult and I’m not even exaggerating. I’ve come into 2025 feeling a little depleted and overwhelmed by the things God has made very clear He wants me to take hold of this year. What scares me is that I almost gave up on some of these areas. The other thing that scares me is wondering if I’m mentally, emotionally and spiritually ready for such a ‘big’ harvest. When we think about harvest time we forget that this requires more work than sowing and if we’re not ready, we could squander the harvest. Harvest time is WORK, fam. It’s chaotic and exhausting. It takes patience and the heart to properly sort what it is God is bringing in. We love to quote the Bible verse that reminds us we will all reap whatever we sow yet, nobody tells us that reaping takes work, and no, we can’t do it on auto-pilot. The beginning of this year has been a marathon that doesn’t seem to want to let up. In all the chaos, I’ve been trying to get off autopilot long enough to check in with my soul and to ask the Holy Spirit what I need to do or stop doing to ready myself for the harvest He keeps gently nudging me about. Here’s what He’s shown me so far.

Scattered Seed Still Grows.

Being someone who often struggles with all-or-nothing thinking, it’s difficult for me to grasp that the seeds I scattered in the chaos of my previous season, were still faithfully watched over by God. In my head, because I didn’t ‘properly’ plant my seeds while wearing my proverbial overalls, using just the right tools, digging specifically measured holes that were specifically spaced out, and gently placing seeds into each hole, then I had failed and as such, couldn’t anticipate any yield from those frantic efforts. It’s been humbling and healing to receive the truth that God has a way of working these things out and helping us have a harvest from the time we thought we lost. He wastes nothing, and while it may have felt random or felt like we missed the bull’s eye, God works all things, even the seemingly lost moments or missed opportunities, for our good and His glory.

Do you have some scattered seeds? The type of seeds you may be disappointed about because in your mind, by your self-imposed standards, you didn’t sow them as well as you wanted to. One of the most impactful things I’ve felt the Spirit of God tell me is this: “Don’t be afraid to rest in this season. Trust Me… I go all the way back to your childhood when I’m on the hunt for scattered seeds.”

Lean Into God’s Grace.

From what I learned in science class, light energy is crucial to the growth and maturation of seeds. And just as God gave ‘energy,’ through His light, to your seeds as they’ve grown, He also has energy in His presence for us to bring in the harvest. You have to trust that God will bring His grace and wisdom for this season to fuel you as you bring the harvest in. Perhaps the whole game changes when we realise that the work of harvest time isn’t a tiring, draining, drudge-along type of work but one that involves working the muscles of our faith, prayer, submission, passion for God and discipline in what He is calling us to do. For all these things there is abounding grace from God if we can only lean into it.

Don’t Waste Time and Energy.

God is working on our behalf at all times. This is a truth we should never take for granted. Rather than wasting our time and energy showing off when things fall in place, we ought to redirect those resources towards acknowledging the One who is always working under the soil of our fields. Even when we’re asleep, He is always working. Another reason we ought to be careful not to waste time and energy is that the harvest will die if we don’t bring it in. This death isn’t just tied to the present but also the future. Why? Because the seed we need for the next season of our lives will almost always come from the present harvest. The stakes are this high, so you can’t afford to waste the energy, wisdom, grace and provision He has given you for this harvest time. I’m speaking to myself here too. Please don’t waste it being stressed, looking at other people’s fields, or calling everyone and their mother to see how big your harvest is. Get to work, friend! The faster you bring that harvest in, the quicker the field can take the new seeds that God will give you. It’s a cycle that has the power to transform your life and the lives of others connected to you for the glory of God.

Remember Your Garden Tools.

God has given you what you need to succeed in this harvest time. I often confess 2 Peter 1:3 over myself as a reminder that no matter how crazy life gets, God has already made it possible for me to succeed. And the same is true for you. The catch is that God won’t do it for us. We have to be willing to pick up the tools He’s given us and get to work. Moses had a staff, David had a sling, the widow had a jar of oil, Mary, the mother of Jesus, had her obedience and Peter had his nets. What do you have? Are you using those tools to work the garden of life that God has entrusted to you? It’s not too late to dust off your garden tools and get to work. God can help you redeem the time, all it takes is a decision to recognise that no matter how much time has passed, you can do something different today. 

Don’t let your harvest rot because you’re too caught up in everything it seems to take. God prepared you for such a time as this. Step up and purpose to partner with Him to bring in the harvest. God will hold you accountable for your seeds and the harvest of your field. Steward them well, friend. The Lord is waiting to get to work with you for your good, the good of those connected to you and His glory.