Try Agriculture

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck that which is planted.

— Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

If you really want to learn how to trust God: try agriculture. Nothing has humbled me more or tested my faith more greatly than these last two years — loving a farmer and working the family trade.

Here’s the thing about agriculture: I don’t care what kind of money you have, what kind of skills you possess, or the number of years under your belt. When it comes to raising crops or raising livestock, you’re at the mercy of God.

Diseases, droughts, predators and pests, wind storms, hail storms, flooding, and piss-poor yields… the list never ends. And I have seen the very best fall and fail to these acts of God.

When your entire livelihood is tied up in the ground and your prayers, you have to lean in hard to God. You have to hit your knees and trust He’ll bring you through it. You have to trust the sick calves and the abandoned fields and the frozen blossoms won’t be your end. That even if you lose it all, He will provide.

And if you really want to learn how to trust God: try agriculture. Because nothing has brought me more joy or greater faith than these last two years– loving a farmer and working the family trade.

Here’s the thing about agriculture: I don’t care how broke you are, how clueless you are about what you’re doing, or how new you are to playing the game. When it comes to raising crops or raising livestock, you’re fully in the grace of God.

That first tinge of green, newborn calves on wobbly legs, nurturing rains, corn taller than you can reach, dewy mountain pastures, rolling fields of grain, heavy boughs laden with fruit… the list never ends. I’ve seen the least of us blessed beyond measure by acts of God.

When your livelihood is tied up in the ground and your prayers, you have to thank God, hard. You have to raise up your hands and sing your praises. You have appreciate the bumper crops and fattened livestock and know they’re each such a blessing. You have to trust that what you gave to Him in faith, He will continue to multiply.

If you really want to learn how to trust God: try agriculture.