While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22 (KJV)
By Shanique Rowe
A farmer does not reap tomatoes the same day they are planted. He has to go through a process to reach the goal of harvest.
PREPARATION
Firstly, he must prepare the soil before he begins to cultivate — a process of preparation. Plowing, chopping, and clearing of the land are all heavy tasks which are included. Therefore, the farmer may employ workers for this task and rent machinery to assist. Needless to say, he must be aware of the kind of preparation needed for his farm and for the type of crop he wishes to harvest. Thereafter, a proper planting system will be established in order to accommodate the maximum number of trees per unit area. In the preparation season the farmer is thoughtful of the plan and takes care to plant with the harvest in mind. Soon, he begins to plant seed by seed, row by row, administering adequate water, sunlight, and fertilizers when necessary. Eventually, the tomato plants will grow to maturity within sixty to one hundred days.
Our lives can be likened to that of a tomato orchard, in that there are seasons for preparation, planting, pruning, and reaping the fruits we have planted. Oftentimes, we are overtaken with the need to get to a certain destination – “destination addicts.” However, we must understand that every season has a purpose and will eventually assist us for the day of harvest.
In our preparation season, we may need to take courses, attend seminars, change our diet, or maybe simply rest. Whatever forms your preparation may take, you must truly understand what is required in order to do so effectively. Notably, we tend to miss the importance of rest in our preparation stage. Rest does not mean you are remaining stagnant, but rather you are healing, recovering, rebuilding inner strength for what is to come. This is all a part of the preparation process.
PRUNING
Next step is pruning. Like the prep season, the season of pruning is just as critical. For, as we begin to see our dreams or goals materialize (similar to the little tomatoes popping up), we must go through thoroughly and remove shrubs and clusters of suckers from our lives, like the farmer in a tomato field. Therefore, we check to ensure we are on the right path, see where we need to realign to the plan of God, where we have clutter. Maybe we have to limit our social lives and prune these areas. Sometimes, after pruning, the tree (similar to our lives), may seem slim, less luxurious, but this pruning allows improved airflow, less disease, and bigger fruit development. With proper maintenance, this farm will be ready for successful harvesting.
HARVESTING
Finally, the day of harvest arrives. We have reached the end goal! All the hurdles we went through to get here seem dimmed, as we, like the farmer, look at our orchard with joy. The celebration of the harvest outshines the other seasons; however, we had to endure to get to this point. Therefore, our hard work and consistency paid off and we can now reap the rewards of our labour.
Like the farmer, we recall the journey with appreciation for each season. We get our buckets, walking the field in awe, picking juicy, ripe, red tomatoes. The harvest was always what we envisioned, and maybe it even exceeds our expectations. We silently thank ourselves for having continued to plant our seeds even when it seemed futile, trusting God that He would bring the increase. We silently thank Him for helping us to take the time to nurture the seeds of our dreams, for removing the habits that would hinder growth, and developing in us, new habits that will propel our growth. We thank Him for having invested in our development, just as a farmer would invest in his orchard. We thank Him because we have endured. The goal is accomplished.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So, we realize how each season adds to us reaching the final destination. The season of preparation led to the season of pruning, and after we are pruned, then came the harvest. Discerning which season we are in is essential for effective growth and development. No season is more or less than the other. It all adds up. Therefore, no matter the season, the goal or vision we have in mind is possible as long as we are willing to go through each season with earnest expectation of the harvest. Matter of fact, the cycle continues because after we have reaped, we have to prepare again for the next goal or task at hand.
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Contact Shanique Rowe, Legal Associate, Shanique.rowe@nmlscle.onmicrosoft.com