My daughter had a science project in school this year in which she planted common grass seeds in four different types of soil. She was to record the progress of growth over several weeks; weeks that, to her, felt like months! Every day she would run out to the patio to see if there was any growth to measure. It took a few days for her to see the first signs of life, but once the tiny blades sprouted through the soil, the grass grew quickly. Her squeals of excitement that came from the patio while she measured the growth of her plants was contagious and soon we were laughing with her. However, not all the seeds had the same growth pattern. The seeds that had been planted in gravel, for instance, took a lot longer to grow and although growth was evident, it wasn’t as exciting to look at as the grass growing from the nutrient-rich soil. The seeds that were planted in sand, however, never grew at all!

Waiting to see growth can cause us to become impatient. In Mark 4:26-28, we're reminded that growth and success do not depend on us. We can do the workâ€" the necessary planting and tendingâ€" but we can't force the seeds to grow. Believe it or not, growth requires rest. In the passage we find the farmer here sleeping and rising, living life as usual, not obsessing about the outcome or trying to force his influence. And the seed grows anyway!  Sometimes, we become passionate about growth and we find ourselves taking on too much. We plant our seeds and we even ask God to help them grow, but then we become impatient when we don't see that our personal growth isn’t happening as quickly as we'd like it to. We are not supposed to sit idle either. We still have responsibilities. But, God functions in all the details, completely independent of our efforts, even if the timing or the outcome isn't what we're wanting. Success may not always be visible. but eventually the rain will come down and water the soil. The soil will grow the grain, pushing it up through the seed, but let us not forget that it's God giving us this gift of growth. Invest the time and the effort where God wants you to grow, and then, trust the outcome to Him.

Suggested Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your mercy. Help me to trust you through the growing process and give me patience as you prepare me for your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1. Mark 4:26-29 (CSB).

Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.