by Anna Haiar

Patience in the Garden

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9 English Standard Version

Have you ever watched a cat wander through a vegetable garden? This is our cat Lucky, who often follows me into our greenhouse. He moves slowly, stepping with purpose, pausing to crouch low in the sunlight, and rests between rows of growing plants. Unlike us, cats don’t seem to rush. They linger and observe, perfectly content to sit among the leaves and wait.

Gardening is a lot like that. It requires patience. You till the soil, plant the seeds, water the ground, and then wait. Some days it feels like nothing is happening. Weeds creep in faster than vegetables sprout, the sun feels too hot, the work too hard, and this year especially, the grasshoppers too destructive. But with persistence, the garden flourishes, and the harvest comes.

Paul’s words in Galatians remind us that our spiritual lives—and the good we do for others—often feel the same way. We are freed by grace alone, through faith, to serve our neighbors in love. Yet even in this freedom, we can grow tired. Our efforts in loving others, forgiving, or simply persevering through trials may feel unnoticed or fruitless. We might pray for years without seeing answers. We plant seeds of kindness or faith in someone’s life, only to feel like nothing is growing. It’s easy to grow weary and wonder if it’s worth it.

But God promises a harvest “at the proper time”—not necessarily our time, but His. This promise is rooted in the certainty that Christ is the One who brings forth every good work in us. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Our vocation—whether as parents, workers, friends, or neighbors—is a way God serves others through us. Just as a gardener trusts that buried seeds will break through the soil when the season is right, we can trust that every moment of faithfulness is never wasted.

Our garden visitors remind us to slow down, to pause, and to watch God’s quiet work. The harvest will come. Our job is simply to keep planting, keep watering, and keep doing good—even when we don’t see results yet. So today, don’t give up. Keep tending the garden of your life, because the God who brings seeds to life will bring your faithfulness to bloom. Our labor is never in vain because Christ is the One who makes it fruitful.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado