What Harvest Season Teaches Us About God’s Timing
A few years ago, while on my Quest with Fellowship of the Sword, I was asked a simple question:
“What season are you in right now?”
At the time, I thought I was in spring — full of beginnings, ideas, and growth. Everything in me wanted to believe I was entering a season of fruitfulness. But looking back, I can see that I was actually walking through winter — a quiet, hidden season where nothing seemed to move. It was a time of waiting, pruning, and letting go.
Now, I can truly say I’m in spring. New growth is sprouting all around me — not just in the garden, but in my spirit. Hope feels lighter, faith feels steadier, and the soil of my heart feels ready again. As I walk through this fresh season, I find myself reflecting differently on what harvest means — both in the garden and in the soul.
For Everything, There Is a Season
Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Not everything blooms all year. There are times of sowing, waiting, pruning, and resting — the hidden work that no one sees. And there are times of reaping, gathering, and celebrating — the visible fruit of what was cultivated in secret.
In my garden, I see this truth everywhere. There are months when all I can do is prepare the soil and pray for rain. There are days when weeds threaten to take over, and I wonder if the effort is worth it. But then there are moments — fleeting and glorious — when the tomatoes spill over their cages, the zinnias dance in color, and the apple trees bend heavy with fruit.
The harvest always comes, but never without the quiet faithfulness of the other seasons.
The Spiritual Meaning of Harvest
Harvest in Scripture is woven with rich symbolism — a picture of God’s provision and timing.
Provision: In the Old Testament, the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16) was a celebration of God’s faithfulness — the fruit of His promise through the land.
Sowing and Reaping: Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Kingdom Growth: Jesus spoke of harvest often, saying, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” (Matthew 9:37)
Harvest is never just about food or work — it’s about trusting His timing. It’s the visible evidence of God’s unseen grace, growing beneath the surface long before the fruit appears.
My Current Season: Spring, Looking Ahead to Harvest
Right now, I feel firmly planted in spring. Seeds are sprouting — both in my life and in our homestead. New ideas are taking root, dreams are being watered, and little signs of life are appearing everywhere. It’s a season of hope and gentle anticipation.
But even as I walk in this freshness, I hold onto the truth that harvest will come — not because I strive for it, but because He is faithful. The same God who brings rain in its season will also bring fruit in its time.
And what’s beautiful is that the harvest is never meant just for me. In the natural world, the harvest provides seed for the next season and nourishment for others. Spiritually, when God brings harvest into our lives, it’s so that others may be fed, encouraged, and pointed back to Him — the true Giver of every good thing.
The Invitation of Harvest Season
If you’re in a harvest season, pause and give thanks. Celebrate the fruit of what God has grown in and through you. It’s okay to rest in joy and remember that the abundance before you is evidence of His faithfulness.
If you’re in a season of sowing or waiting, don’t lose heart. The rhythms of the Kingdom assure us that harvest will come in due time. Every seed of obedience, every prayer whispered in faith, every unseen act of stewardship — it’s all being tended by the Gardener who never sleeps.
And when life feels like the weeds are winning — when pests, drought, or hungry deer threaten to steal the fruit — remember this: God multiplies what remains. The apple trees still bear enough. The zinnias still bloom in color. The pumpkins still roll across the ground, bright and round with promise.
Harvest is never just the result of what we’ve done. It’s the miracle of His grace bringing the seed to fruition.
Final Thought
Harvest season teaches us that God’s timing is perfect, His provision is abundant, and His faithfulness never fails. Whatever season you’re in — winter, spring, summer, or harvest — trust that He is at work in ways you may not see yet. The fruit will come, and when it does, it will be more than enough.
If this spoke to you, you might also enjoy Not Everything Blooms All Year — a reflection on the quiet, hidden work of God in waiting seasons.