Encouragement for Today

July 19, 2025 Read This if You Think You’re Falling Behind JENNIFER DUKES LEE Lee en español

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens …” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

Behind.

That’s how I’ve felt so many times: behind in my career, behind in forging relationships, behind in hitting whatever milestones I think I need to hit.

Maybe you’ve felt that way, too — like your growth is stunted and you’re falling behind while everyone races happily on by.

Culture is quick to offer solutions for the progress we crave. A certain supplement or diet plan promises you can lose 10 pounds by Friday. A conference boasts million-dollar results in three days. There’s a shortcut for every goal you’ve ever set.

Oh, if only growth were so easy.

My family farm in Iowa tells a different story — a better story — about growth. Right now, our fields are lush and green with summer growth. These plants sprouted from tiny seeds planted months ago. God grows crops slowly from seeds to roots to stalks to leaves. The last thing to grow on a corn plant … is the corn.

Yet in all my years as a farm wife, I’ve never once seen a corn plant freaking out. I’ve never seen one compare itself to another. I’ve never seen one question its worth when growth was slow.

We can learn a lot from the fields. Because here’s the truth: We can’t harvest on the same day we plant. That’s true for crops, and that’s true for people.

I know how hard it is to feel stuck while others seem to be reaping harvests, especially when it’s something you’ve been praying about for a long time. You feel like a buried seed while others are blooming.

But here are two things I know about growth:

1. Growth takes time, sometimes a lifetime.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that life happens in seasons: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens …”

Those seasons are filled with ups and downs: mourning, dancing, weeping, laughing, planting, and uprooting (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8). Not all seasons give us what we want, but God uses each one to shape us for His purposes.

2. Growing is hard.

I’d rather pray my way out of the struggle than grow through it. But God is more interested in transforming our hearts than transforming our circumstances.

I won’t wrap a happy bow around the hard things you face. You have every right to grieve losses and wonder why growth is slow.

But fruitful seasons are coming. Ecclesiastes 3 promises us that healing, love, and peace are a part of our bigger story. In God’s timing, there is a purpose for all seasons: the quiet of winter, the beauty of spring, the growth of summer, the harvest of fall.

As long as your heart is still beating, the divine Farmer is still growing you. Let Him do what only He can do — your harvest is coming.

God, slow me down so I can see the beautiful ways You are growing me, one season at a time, to bring about an abundant harvest in the field of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

If you’ve ever felt like you’re behind — in life, in healing, in faith — you’re not alone. And you’re not failing. Trusting God’s timing when life feels delayed is hard, but it doesn’t mean He’s forgotten you.That’s why we want to put a powerful resource in your hands. When you give to Proverbs 31 Ministries, you’ll receive I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t by Lysa TerKeurst — a book for anyone who’s ever asked, “Why hasn’t God shown up yet?” Because you’re not behind. You’re exactly where He wants to meet you. Give now, and take the next step with truth in hand!

If burnout feels like your baseline, maybe it’s time for something to change. In “5 Truths You Need When You're Worn Down and Worn Out,” you’ll learn how to trade the stress and pressure of life for real peace by seeing what Scripture actually says about your worth. With practical tools to help you reset your rhythms and reconnect with God’s purpose for you, this free resource will meet you right in the middle of your busyness — and offer a better way forward. Get the free copy now, and start your reset today.

To gain fresh insights on how to grow in all seasons, pick up a copy of Jennifer Dukes Lee’s book Growing Slow and the companion Bible study.

ENGAGE

Find real-life encouragement when you connect with Jennifer here on Instagram.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

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

As God grows good things in your life, be encouraged that your harvest will come. Where are you waiting for growth? Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2025 by Jennifer Dukes Lee. All rights reserved.