Planting Seeds
This will encourage you who are planting a lot of seed but not yet seeing all the fruit for which you hope. Some of it may come in ways that you don’t even imagine. Here’s one way that happened for me. Back in 1992, yes I know that is ancient history, I felt convicted to write a discipleship workbook that became The Path to Power. Jim Davey helped me author it. We self published the discipleship journal and began using it at Indian Creek to provide basic assurance and next steps to those who accepted Christ.
I took it with me to India when I went to speak and travel with the India Gospel League in 1994. The President of IGL, Sam Stevens, asked me if he could have the rights to translate it and use it and I was glad it could be helpful.
This last weekend we had Prati Stevens (wife) and Danny Stevens (son) with us in Olathe. They caught us up on the amazing numbers of churches IGL has planted and how that they are also discipling pastors, women and students. And to my surprise I learned that from then until now the basic discipleship primer is The Path to Power. So the numbers of people who’ve been through it in the last 17 years are near or above six figures. Who would’ve thunk it!
This article isn’t about the merits of The Path to Power or my writing ability but it is about staying faithful to do what God asks you to do and leaving the results to Him. Think of how many seeds you’ve planted in the invitations you’ve made, the messages you’ve spoken, the prayers you’ve prayed the hours you’ve poured into others. I’m guessing that we don’t know even half of the story of what results from your efforts. Many times we won’t know until heaven that our words or choices made the difference for someone who reached someone who impacted someone else.
The scriptures remind us not to "grow weary in well doing for in due time we will reap a harvest of righteousness if we don’t give up." Gal 6:9 Don’t give up! There is more going on than you can see today. In fact some of the things you call failure contain the seeds of greatness. Some of the conversations where you thought your words weren’t received meant more than you know. Some of the people who left you or your church actually had things happen there that will be eternity altering.
I’m praying now that God will reveal to you something that encourages you to keep planting seeds from your ministry. Remember much of the early growth is underground and by the time the plant pushes through the soil it doesn’t look like the seed. Maybe it is already growing now and bearing fruit and you don’t even know. Be encouraged! Be faithful and leave the results to God!