When I was in college, I spent a summer in Guatemala on a short-term missionary trip. In one village, we had heard stories of the first missionaries that arrived many years before. For years, they planted the gospel seeds. They spoke truth, translated the Bible into their dialect, and brought the light of Christ into this darkened place. But they never saw hardly one convert. I'm pretty sure they went on the mission field with hopes of seeing many come to know Jesus. That was not the case. Eventually they retired and came home to the states. Shortly thereafter, the mission board sent another couple in their place and almost immediately they saw revival. The whole village turned to Christ. Amazing, huh?
Here's the thing... the seeds had been planted. The people's hearts were prepared and ready. The first missionary couple planted and planted. They could have easily given up, but they didn't. No doubt, their rewards in heaven were spectacular, just as great or even greater than those that saw the harvest.
You and I are called to plant the seed. But we need to plant with the rain in mind... knowing that there will be a harvest. In fact, we may never see the harvest, but our efforts will never be wasted. Why did many of the people recognize Jesus as the Messiah? Why did they accept His message... a message far different than the teachers of their day? Because John the Baptist prepared them. They were baptized. Their hearts were ready.
Every prayer we pray, every word of encouragement given, every truth spoken are all seeds. Every time we see someone struggling and we offer to pray with then, that's a seed. Every heartfelt cry for a prodigal is a seed. Every time we speak truth into a lie someone is believing is a seed. Every seed is a preparation. Keep sowing. Keep planting. Because one day the heavens will open and a torrent of rain will pour down into those hearts where that seed is. And it will burst open and begin to sprout. Make every day a day of planting. Hope this encourages you today.