In a world that demands instant results and overnight success stories, it’s easy to get discouraged and want to quit when your breakthrough takes time.
But Scripture reminds us:
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow”
(1 Corinthians 3:6).
God’s Kingdom isn’t built on urgency—it’s built on trust, obedience, and time. He’s the God of the harvest—and He calls us to plant.
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
(Galatians 6:9)
To use a sports analogy, short-game thinking tempts you to look for blessing-killing shortcuts or even to give up. Long-game thinking builds the future.
When God gives you a dream, He rarely delivers it overnight. Just ask Joseph. God showed him a vision of influence and leadership—but then Joseph spent years in slavery and prison before it came to pass. If he had given in to short-game emotions, he might have never made it out of the pit. But he held on. He played the long game.
I’ve seen short-game thinking in every area of life. As a volleyball mom and a coach’s wife, I’ve watched emotions explode after a loss, a bad call, or lack of playtime—years of investment nearly undone in one moment. I’ve seen relationships end too soon and people abandon God-given dreams just before the breakthrough.
What about you? What’s your version of the pit, the bench, or the missed opportunity?
Having never seen rain, Noah didn’t wait for rain to start building the ark. For years, he followed God’s instructions, one piece of gopher wood at a time—despite mockery, doubt, and no visible signs of a flood. But when the rain came, it was Noah’s quiet consistency that saved generations.
That’s the long game: faithful obedience, small daily actions, trusting that God will fulfill His Word in His time, even when it seems like nothing is happening.
We need to stop uprooting what we’ve planted just because it hasn’t grown yet. If we stay consistent, faithful, and patient, the harvest will come—on God’s time, not ours.
Here’s a practical tip: many sports teams use the 24-hour rule—no emotional conversations with coaches for 24 hours after a game. Why? To cool down and come back with clarity. I’ve adopted that in my life and business too—and in that 24 hours, I pray, worship, reflect, rest, and seek wise counsel.
Before you make a big decision in a moment of emotion, pause. Ask yourself: Am I playing the short game or the long game? Am I giving God space to speak? Am I walking in step with the One who knows the end from the beginning?
Scripture says His Word is a lamp unto our feet. That means He’ll show you just enough for the next step—what I call progressive revelation. If you’re chasing your emotions instead of walking in obedience, you’ll miss His voice saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”
If you’re going to quit anything, quit playing the short game.
When times get hard, use the 24-hour rule—pause, pray, reflect. Remember: God is responsible for the harvest, not you. Your job is to keep showing up. It may feel slow, hard, and hidden—but the long game is worth it. Because when the harvest comes, it will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over—far more than you could ever ask or imagine.
