seeds vs. pearls

Steven Furtick talked about in his daily blog post the other day about, in a nutshell, waiting. He was discussing the difference between seeds and pearls: "God will sometimes give you pearls, and when He does, be thankful. But from my experience, God’s wisdom and God’s work usually comes in the form of a seed, not a pearl. A seed has to go into the dirt to develop. It takes time. It doesn’t have the obvious value that a pearl does. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t significant. A pearl may have immediate and obvious value, but a seed has latent and potential power. It doesn’t look like much immediately, but over time its true worth shows itself."

I really liked this because it's where I'm at right now. Although, honestly, I feel like there will always be something I'm "waiting" for. What I'm learning is how to not put life on hold until that waiting is over. You have to live life in the midst of the waiting. Pearls look beautiful and are great for showing off but it's the seeds that bring growth. The seeds are the ones where you learn who you are and what you're capable of. The seeds require time to grow. As you plant the seeds, you invest tears and prayers and abilities - who you are is wrapped up in the seed. Don't abandon the seed just because it might be taking a little bit longer than you thought it would for the harvest. Don't give up. Wait for it.