The Faith of a Farmer

Faith is the most powerful tool a farmer possesses. Farmers are hit constantly with disappointments, losses, and setbacks. Their entire future depends on those cows or that crop. Large costs associated with the operation are paid up front without expecting any return for months. For farmers to be successful, they must have faith in two things: their operation and the Lord.

Weather and disease are a farmer’s worst enemy. A summer of drought or an outbreak of blight can kill or stunt a farmer’s crop. Similarly, a strong storm filled with wind, rain, and hail can flatten an entire cornfield. Hot, humid days can bring in increased quantities of flies, which most often result in an outbreak of pinkeye in a herd of cattle. One rainy, cold morning can cause many calves to become sick with respiratory infections. All of these result in huge financial loss and there are so many things that could happen to a farmer’s operation. If they let worry consume them, there would be no farmers. Ecclesiastes 11:4 says, “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest…” There is never going to be a perfect time. If a farmer waited around for that perfect moment to harvest their crop or to buy those calves, it would never come. Instead, they must be judicious in their decisions while putting their trust in the Lord. He promises to provide for them and that will never fail.

A farmer’s must also have faith in their operation. The key to a successful operation is for a farmer to trust themselves and their decisions. Many trials will come their way and a farmer can only take care of what is in their control. When a disease outbreaks in a neighboring farm, they must have faith that the preventive practices they put into place were enough. Every farmer I know, has experienced long nights staying up with a cow that is having calving difficulty. They did everything they could for it. The calf was pulled, the vet was called, and momma was given medicine…It is in these times, that farmers must trust themselves, their decisions, and their operation because no matter what happens, they know they have done their best.

Farmers know that having faith in the Lord and in their operation WILL NOT prevent them for suffering loss. What it will do, is give them hope. Hope that tomorrow will be better and that they aren’t fighting this battle alone with the Lord on their side. He promises farmers in Deuteronomy 28:8 that He “will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hands to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land”. He’s got their best interests at hand, but He uses those trials for them to draw closer to Him and deepen their faith.

Say a prayer for a farmer….pray to give them strength, perseverance, and hope. Pray for them to grow in their faith because our future depends on farmers.