The Season of Sowing

As a wife and mother of three small children, I am in a season of sowing.  This a wonderful time, filled with laughter and adventure and the joy that only a house bustling with little people can bring.  This season requires love and sacrifice as we pour into the lives of the children God has blessed us with.  But this season is one of anticipation.  We do not see many immediate results; in may regards, our harvest may be years away.

In reality, these are very long days.  Most days are full of much joy, but these days are also filled with lots of caring, lots of discipline, lots of schooling, lots of training, little sleep, little reaping of sowing.  There are so many precious moments with my little loves, but this season has also shown me lots of sin in myself, lots of sin in my children, and a very keen awareness of the need that we each have for a Savior.

My children are only 5, 3 and 1. The truth is, I am just at the beginning of this season of life, and it can be easy for me to be discouraged as I consider living out these long days for the next ten to fifteen years or longer.  Discouragement leads to weariness, and weariness leads to discontentment.  Fear finds its way into my heart as I look ahead at the years that are to come, wondering if I can possibly remain faithful to this tremendous task that the Lord has called me to.

Will I possibly have the strength to persevere through these years?
Is this investment worth the sacrifice?
I am not seeing any change in my children.  Am I doing this right? What am I doing wrong?
How do I know that I will one day reap a harvest?
Our heavenly Father desires to encourage us in this season.  He has so many wonderful promises in his Word to help us keep our focus on Him and His purposes during the years of investing in our children.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says, "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. [. . .] And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

Also, Galatians 6:7-9 reminds us of the Lord's faithfulness:

"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh, will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
Let us hold fast to the promises of our God!  Let us sow bountifully in the hearts of our children because our God promises that we will reap what we sow!  And he is faithful to provide all of the grace, all of the energy, all of the wisdom, and all of the strength to pour ourselves out into our most precious little gifts.