Every Season Has a Purpose

“Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

The Bible tells us that there are seasons in life. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (NIV). 

The fact that life is made up of seasons means that life also includes times of waiting. Between the “then” and the “now” (or the “now” and the “what’s coming next”), there is always a delay. This irritates most people. It can be frustrating to make a deposit, investment, or plan and not have it instantly come to fruition.

But fruit ripens slowly. Would you rather eat a vine-ripened tomato or one that has been picked green and ripened later in storage? There’s no comparison between a vine-ripened tomato, which was allowed to grow slowly, and a tomato that was picked prematurely. If you pick too soon, you miss the flavor.

In money management, I'll always reap in a different season than I sow. And, by the way, not all fruit ripens at the same time. If I grow peaches, they’re not all ripe at once. They come in little by little; I pick a few a day. When I start planting and following God’s money management principles, I'm not going to see all the results tomorrow. It’s going to come in over time. I'm going to have to wait to reap in a different season.

But while I'm waiting, God is working. When I'm waiting for the fulfillment of the efforts or money or energy that I've put into something, I may think nothing’s happening. 

But, oh, it’s happening! While that seed is hidden in the ground, it is slowly germinating. And when that seed bursts with God’s blessing on it, it will continue growing and growing. One day a little shoot will stick up out of the ground, and then I will see that it’s working.

But until then, I need to trust that God is working, even when I can’t see the fruit of my labor.

Plants take time to grow. There’s no such thing as instant maturity. No farmer goes out, plants the seed in the ground, comes back an hour later, digs it up, and expects it to have grown. I've just got to let it be, and let God grow it in his time.

Galatians 6:9 says, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT).

What have I been waiting on God to bring to fruition in my life? For me, God has been slowly building my character and knowledge so that when I go begin to coach, train and mentor outside of my current organization, I'll be more mature and make a difference for others.

How have I grown spiritually as a result of having to wait for that harvest? For me, definitely. I have come to realize that times of waiting and trials is where God is building my character.

What has God taught me as I've been waiting on him? He has taught me that his timing is always the best.

Why do I think God makes me wait to reap what I sow? For me character growth, belief, and trust in his plans.

In Summary:

This passage addresses the reality of life's waiting seasons, using agricultural metaphors to illustrate that meaningful growth, maturity, and financial or spiritual yield take time. Paul's instruction in Galatians 6:9 encourages believers to resist weariness in doing good, reminding us that a harvest is guaranteed at the proper time if we persevere. While human nature demands immediate returns, spiritual and character formation mature gradually underground before visible results emerge. As I prepare to transition into coaching, training, and mentoring outside my current organization, this delay is not passive downtime—it is God actively shaping my character, deepening my trust, and refining my capacity so that my future impact is rooted in maturity rather than premature execution.

Bottom Line:

Spiritual and character maturity cannot be rushed; enduring the delay between sowing and reaping is what prepares me to sustainably carry the influence God is building in me.

Next Step:

Document my Maturity Markers. To align my current season with my identity as an external coach and mentor, commit 30 minutes this week to auditing the specific character traits, wisdom, and skills God has built in me during this waiting period. Define 2–3 core competencies or personal standards I now possess that I did not have a year ago, and outline one concrete discipline to maintain them. Framing my current waiting period as active preparation turns frustration into purpose, ensuring that when the transition occurs, I step out from a foundation of proven integrity and readiness.