A Season to Prepare and a Season to Wait

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Posted by: Chris Lake, On-Air Host | Monday, April 27th, 2026 ( 9:07am)

After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.”—Acts 1:3-4  

I stepped outside this past week to birds singing in the trees, a little warmth, and the April showers of rain. I see the early season white and yellow daffodils blooming. Just beyond the flowers I see my small backyard garden has survived another winter (but barely, laugh with me here!).

This is the time of year when I start feeling the itch to begin preparing the garden and start planting seeds. Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini...always zucchini. Last year I had a few brussel sprouts. This year, like every year, I’ve convinced myself that I’ll grow a 100-pound pumpkin. So far, my record is about 62 pounds.  

Then, just like every year, I realize I need to tell myself to slow down. If I plant now, the garden won’t grow. I’ve learned that timing matters just as much as the plants and the seeds do.  

Not everything that can be done now should be done now.  

I wonder if that’s sometimes where many of us find ourselves? Not just in our backyard gardens but in our lives. Are some of us anxious about work? Maybe it’s the day-to-day job we currently have, or maybe it’s about the job we don’t have yet. At home, are we having the same conversations with our children or spouses and not seeing the results we hoped for?  

The disciples learned something about this. Following the resurrection in Acts 1:3, Jesus appeared to them and many others for 40 days. Forty days of walking, talking, eating, and learning. Forty days of preparation before the next step could begin. Then, just before He ascends to Heaven, Jesus commands the disciples in Verse 4, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised…” Forty days getting ready for the gift the Father promised, yet when they think the time has finally come, He tells them to wait.  

To me, this is similar to my backyard garden. I can’t wait to plant the seeds. But, if I move too early, nothing will grow. I need to be patient for the correct timing.  

This kind of waiting is hard. We often know what to do and the action steps needed to move forward, yet we can’t control when it happens. I see this in my own life. There are moments when the desire is right, but the timing is not. Often, I act and do something too soon. My recent book launch for In Their Steps has been filled with anxious expectations. Does this cover design or this cover image look better? Do I contact this person or send this social media post? Instead of being patient and waiting for God’s plan to develop, I move too fast and try to rush God’s timing. At work I stress over project delays rather than trust things to unfold at the time they are meant to. When my adult children are overwhelmed and struggling, I need to wait for God to help me know the best time to step in with a listening ear or a word of advice.  

What “backyard gardens” are you wanting to plant right now? Are there areas where you want to move forward but God isn’t responding? I’ve heard it said that “The same God who calls us to go is the same God who sometimes tells us to wait.” And perhaps with your garden, that’s exactly what He’s telling you to do. Not because He doesn’t hear the calls of your heart, but because He knows the perfect timing that will lead to growth. Trust that even in the waiting, God is at work, preparing the soil so your garden will flourish. 

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