Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. –James 5:7

I have a confession to make: both my patience and my gardening skills are, shall we say, works in progress. In fact, my lack of gardening expertise may be one of the reasons my patience for gardening is even worse. When I put a seed in the ground, I want results. Preferably by tomorrow.

Of course, that isn’t how gardens work. Growth takes time. Seeds need the right conditions. Good soil matters. Water is critical. Sunlight needs to be managed. Even when I have done my part in these areas, much of the work happens beneath the surface where we cannot see it.

Yet there is something deeply rewarding about slowing down long enough to pay attention. To breathe in the surroundings. To notice what is happening around us. A gardener learns to recognize good soil from bad, to adjust to changing conditions, and to respond to what the moment requires rather than forcing things to happen on a predetermined timetable.

This Sunday we will explore Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15) alongside the Fruit of the Spirit of Patience. While patience is often understood as simply waiting, biblical patience is much more than passive endurance. It is the ability to remain present, attentive, and faithful while God is at work in ways we cannot yet see.

When we can pause, even for a moment, before reacting, we become better equipped to respond with wisdom instead of impulse, compassion instead of frustration, and love instead of fear. Patience creates space for us to discern what the situation before us truly needs.

Like the sower scattering seed, we do not always control where our efforts land or how quickly growth appears. But we can cultivate hearts that are open to God’s work and trust that growth often happens long before we can see the results.

I look forward to worshiping with you as together we consider what it means to become good soil for God’s love and to cultivate the patient spirit that bears lasting fruit.

Brett