In Ecclesiastes, we are reminded not to wait for the perfect moment to plant a seed. “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle.” There is wisdom in this command: plant, work, and trust God with what you cannot control.

A seed can take many forms. It can be a sermon, a Bible verse, a conversation, a testimony, a prayer, or the simple act of sharing the good news of the Gospel. Every time we speak truth, love someone, encourage someone, or point someone toward God, we are planting a seed.

But the seed is not ours to grow.

It is not our job to force transformation. It is not our job to change people. That belongs to God.

We are the hose. He is the water.

God pours through us, and we are simply vessels willing to be used. We plant the seed, and He gives it life. We may never see what happens beneath the soil. We may never witness the moment the roots begin to form or the first sprout breaks through the darkness. But that does not mean nothing is happening.

Ecclesiastes speaks of farming and the wisdom of diligent work. Plant in the morning, and do not let your hands remain idle until evening. Not every seed will grow. But a seed that is planted, tended to, and continually worked is given a greater opportunity to flourish.

This is how I see the Gospel.

You may plant a seed in someone’s heart by sharing your testimony. Then, you continue working—not by trying to control the person or force them to change, but by praying for them. You check in on them. You love them. You continue to bring them before God.

Prayer is a form of watering.

If you plant a seed and never return to it, never pray over it, never tend to the soil, it may still grow. God can do anything. But when you kneel before Him and continue to pray, you are faithfully tending to what you planted.

You are not the one who makes the seed grow.

God is.

But you can remain faithful.

You can keep praying until evening.

You can keep your hands from being idle.

I have planted seeds in my own life. I have read the Bible. I have heard the Word. I have received truth. The seed has been planted.

Now I am learning to wait.

I am learning to water it—to feed my spirit with the Word of God, to return to Him again and again, every time I think of it. And that is work. It is not always easy to remain faithful to something you cannot yet see.

But imagine praying over a seed until evening.

Imagine declaring life over something buried beneath the soil.

Imagine refusing to stop believing simply because you cannot see the roots.

It will grow.

Not every seed will sprout in the way we expect. Not every seed will grow on our timeline. But that does not make the planting meaningless. Sometimes the work is happening beneath the surface long before anything becomes visible.

So keep your eyes on the Father.

Do not become spiritually lazy.

Work diligently, but remember that God also gives rest. Devote your life to Him. Return to your knees. Pray over what you have planted. Trust the One who gives the increase.

I see a vision:

Kneeling before the Father.

Feet pressed into the soil.

Hands covered in earth.

Roots growing beneath me.

Stay grounded.

Plant the seed.

Keep praying until evening.

And trust God with what grows.