Trusting God When Results Don’t Come Fast | Ecclesiastes 11:1

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Today, we’re looking at Ecclesiastes 11:1:

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. — Ecclesiastes 11:1

Have you ever taken a step—offered help, shared an idea, given generously—and then wondered if it would make any difference at all?

That’s the tension Solomon speaks to in Ecclesiastes 11:1. He paints a picture of casting bread on the water—an act that seems uncertain, even pointless at first. You release something valuable. Then you wait, not knowing what will come of it. But this isn't just about risk. It's about faith.

Solomon, a man who had everything—wealth, wisdom, power—spent much of this book wrestling with the fleeting nature of life. Again and again, he describes it as "vanity."

Yet, here in chapter 11, his tone shifts. He invites us to take action. To invest. To live in such a way that trusts God with the unseen return. Because even when life feels unpredictable, obedience is never wasted.

“Casting bread on water” might sound odd to us, but in Solomon’s day, it probably referred to shipping grain across the sea. You send it off not knowing when—or if—it’ll come back. But if it does? There’s a reward.

It’s an act of faithful obedience in the face of uncertainty.

This verse hits two modern nerves:

We crave control—we want to manage the outcome. We demand results—and fast.

Solomon reminds us that the outcome won’t be immediate. You may not see results for “many days.” In fact, they may not come in the way you imagined. But with God, no act of obedience is ever wasted.

This is how the Kingdom of God works.

We sow in faith—He brings the harvest.

You might invest in someone who seems slow to grow. You might love your family faithfully without receiving much in return. You might give generously when it feels like there’s not much to spare.

And yet, God sees it all. He honors every unseen sacrifice. And in His perfect timing, He produces fruit that lasts.

But in God’s timing, the return comes. Galatians 6:9 says clearly: “In due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

What do you need to throw out there today?

A conversation you’ve been avoiding? A step of faith that feels risky? A gift that costs something? A new habit of discipline or devotion?

Stop waiting for perfection. Stop trying to predict the outcome. Throw it out there.

If God’s calling you to it, do it. He’ll take care of the return.

#FaithOverFear, #Ecclesiastes11, #ObedienceMatters

1. What have you been hesitant to release to God?
2. Where are you demanding fast results instead of trusting God's timing?
3. What step of faith feels risky but necessary?
4. How can you practice obedience even when outcomes are unseen?

Take one act of obedient faith today, even if you don’t see immediate results.

Father, help me to obey without needing to see the results right away. I trust You to bring the harvest in Your perfect time. Amen.

Faithful.