Daily Devotional: Tuesday, July 25 - Active Wait

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

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We rarely sow and reap in the same season. As an athlete, we sow in training and reap in performance. But part of the sowing process includes waiting.

When I was about 5 years old, we got a new hoop in our driveway — a regulation, 10-foot-high big kids goal. As my daddy finished putting it up, I picked up a ball to take my first shot, but that ball was soon taken from me with these unfair words that followed: “Sorry, baby girl, this goal is not for you.” Why not?

After my daddy took the ball away, he explained why I couldn’t use that big goal: I had to wait until I was strong enough to shoot correctly. He had been watching my abilities, quietly stewarding my success, and protecting me from bad habits and inconsistent form.

So he created a hoop in the backyard with a bicycle rim and a softball, coaching my form and building muscle memory through repetition. I did the same things over and over again until it was automatic, and after a couple of years, I was finally ready for the big goal. But even that came with rules, waiting and time. Soon I was shooting layups, then from three feet away, then five feet away, and eventually at the free-throw line.

But all of it took time — sometimes years before I saw the fruit of my labor. God is patiently doing the same with us, holding us back until we’re ready, strengthening our confidence and resolve, and building us up as we actively wait.

— Fleceia Comeaux, Houston Dash chaplain

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