The Hardest Season: Embracing the Work of Harvesting Faith

As we gather in this season of harvest, it’s easy to imagine that the hard work is behind us—that after all the plowing, sowing, and watering, we can simply sit back and enjoy the fruit. But the truth is, the harvest is actually the hardest part. It’s the season that tests our commitment, our focus, and our willingness to keep working when we’re tired, discouraged, or distracted. The fields are ready, but the work is not over; in fact, it’s just beginning. Jesus calls us not to be spectators, but laborers—people who see the needs around us and step into the field, even when it’s inconvenient or exhausting.

Harvest requires vision. We must open our eyes to see the opportunities God has placed right in front of us—our workplaces, our neighborhoods, our families. Too often, we get distracted by lesser battles, by our past hurts, or by the comfort of routine. But Jesus challenges us to lift our eyes, to see the people who are hurting, searching, and ready for hope. The world is in chaos, but that’s not a reason to retreat; it’s a call to action. The church is meant to be the hands and feet of Jesus, meeting needs, loving people, and pointing them to the Savior.

Harvest also demands unity and compassion. We are not in competition with one another or with other churches. The work we do today is built on the prayers and sacrifices of those who came before us, and the seeds we plant now may bear fruit in generations to come. We must care deeply for people, refusing to become a machine or a consumer-driven community. Compassion is what moves us to action, what keeps us tender toward the broken, and what allows us to be used by God.

Finally, the harvest is a call to perseverance. It’s easy to give up when we don’t see immediate results, but Scripture promises that if we do not grow weary in doing good, we will reap a harvest in due time. Every act of faithfulness, every prayer, every conversation matters. God is calling each of us to step off the sidelines, to serve, to love, and to keep working—because the harvest is ready, and the laborers are few.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The Harvest Is the Hardest Season Contrary to what we might expect, the harvest is not a time of rest but of intensified labor. After all the plowing, sowing, and watering, the real work begins—gathering, stewarding, and caring for what God has brought forth. This season tests our endurance and commitment, reminding us that blessings come with responsibility and stewardship. [36:36]
• 2. Vision Precedes Action Before we can work the field, we must first see it. Jesus rebuked the disciples not for their lack of faith, but for their lack of focus—they were distracted by lesser things and missed the opportunity right in front of them. Our mission field is often closer than we think, and God calls us to open our eyes to the people and needs around us, refusing to be distracted by the past or by trivial battles. [48:08]
• 3. Compassion Is Essential for Kingdom Work True ministry flows from a heart of compassion, not duty or obligation. Jesus was moved by compassion before He called for workers, and if we lose our tenderness toward people, we lose our ability to be used by God. Reaping souls means walking with the broken, weeping with the wounded, and loving those who seem unlovable. [65:05]
• 4. Unity and Legacy in the Harvest We are not called to compete with one another, but to celebrate and build upon the work of those who came before us. The seeds we sow today may bear fruit in the lives of our children or in people we may never meet. The harvest is a shared work, requiring humility, gratitude, and a refusal to compare our field to someone else’s. [69:17]
• 5. Perseverance Brings the Promise It’s tempting to give up when we don’t see immediate results, but God’s promise is that we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Our commitment is tested in the waiting, but every act of faithfulness matters. Even when the work is exhausting and the results seem invisible, God is working, and breakthrough may be just around the corner. [75:33]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [05:12] - Fullwood’s Heart: Come As You Are
• [28:38] - Preparing Our Hearts for God’s Word
• [29:17] - Community Updates & Baptism
• [30:23] - Trunk or Treat Testimonies
• [31:26] - Trunk Competition Winners
• [33:07] - Shifting to the Harvest Season
• [35:43] - The Reality of Harvest: John 4
• [36:36] - Why Harvest Is the Hardest
• [38:21] - The Cost of Sowing and Sacrifice
• [41:08] - Watering, Tending, and Exhaustion
• [45:13] - The Work of the Harvest
• [48:08] - Vision: Seeing the Field
• [51:04] - The Church’s Call in a Chaotic World
• [53:12] - Distractions and False Fights
• [55:42] - The Need for Workers
• [57:59] - Consumerism vs. Kingdom Service
• [59:41] - Your Mission Field: Everyday Life
• [65:05] - Compassion: The Heart of Ministry
• [69:17] - Unity and Legacy in the Harvest
• [73:20] - The Call to Labor, Not Observe
• [75:33] - Perseverance and the Promise
• [78:47] - The Faithful Jesus Goes With Us
• [83:22] - Invitation to Salvation and Challenge
• [85:06] - Closing Prayer and Altar Call

Bible Reading

John 4:35-38 (ESV) — > Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.

Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV) — > And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Galatians 6:9 (ESV) — > And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Observation Questions

1. In John 4:35-38, what does Jesus mean when he says, “One sows and another reaps”? How does he describe the relationship between those who sow and those who reap? [36:15]
2. According to Matthew 9:35-38, what moved Jesus to call for more workers for the harvest? What does this reveal about his heart for people? [56:07]
3. The sermon said, “The harvest is the hardest” and not a time to sit back and relax. What reasons did Pastor Lloyd give for why the harvest season is actually the most demanding? [36:36]
4. What does Galatians 6:9 promise to those who keep doing good, even when they are tired or discouraged? [01:15:33]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of focus rather than their lack of faith in John 4? What kinds of distractions did the sermon mention that can keep us from seeing the harvest around us? [48:15]
2. The sermon talked about compassion being the starting point for ministry, not just duty or obligation. Why is compassion so essential for kingdom work, according to both the Bible passages and the sermon? [01:05:05]
3. Pastor Lloyd said, “We are not in competition with one another or with other churches.” What does it look like to celebrate and build on the work of those who came before us, and why is unity important in the harvest? [01:09:17]
4. The sermon emphasized perseverance, especially when we don’t see immediate results. Why is it so tempting to give up, and what does the Bible say about the importance of not quitting? [01:15:33]

Application Questions

1. The sermon said, “The fields are ready, but the work is not over; in fact, it’s just beginning.” Where in your life do you see a “field” that is ready for harvest, but you’ve been hesitant to step in because it looks hard or inconvenient? [36:36]
2. Jesus told the disciples to “lift up your eyes” and see the people around them. What is one area of your daily life (work, neighborhood, family, etc.) where you need to open your eyes to the needs or opportunities God has placed in front of you? [49:33]
3. The sermon warned about getting distracted by “lesser battles” or past hurts. Is there a specific distraction or past hurt that is keeping you from serving or loving others? What would it look like to let go of that distraction this week? [53:44]
4. Compassion was described as the fuel for ministry. Think of someone in your life who is hurting or difficult to love. What is one practical way you can show compassion to them this week? [01:05:05]
5. The sermon said, “The seeds we sow today may bear fruit in generations to come.” Are there ways you can invest in others now, even if you may never see the results? What is one step you can take to build a legacy of faith? [01:10:11]
6. Galatians 6:9 encourages us not to grow weary in doing good. When you feel tired or discouraged in serving others, what helps you keep going? Is there a specific promise or truth from this sermon that you want to hold onto? [01:15:33]
7. The pastor challenged everyone to “step off the sidelines, to serve, to love, and to keep working.” What is one area in the church or community where you feel God nudging you to get involved, even if it feels outside your comfort zone? [01:13:42]