When the Results Aren’t There Yet

As we live out our calling, we inevitably carry expectations about the results we long to see. Some of these are promises we cling to from God’s Word. Others are desires stirred in our own hearts. And if we pursue that calling, we’ll also need to learn how to steady our hearts when the results aren’t there yet.

We picture:

• More people coming to know Jesus.
• Greater responsiveness to God’s leadership among His people.
• A business that grows so we can serve more clients with excellence.
• A deeper leadership pipeline so more can share in the joy of God’s work.
• Fresh opportunities to expand our reach and influence.
• Financial stability that frees us to focus on what matters most.
• A healthier culture where teams thrive and people flourish.
• Children who walk closely with God and make wise choices.
• A marriage marked by growing intimacy, not just endurance.
• Friendships that bring encouragement, laughter, and honest accountability.
• Health and energy to sustain the work we’ve been given.

And yet…sometimes those results don’t come. Or at least not as quickly, not as clearly, and not in the way we imagined.

When that happens, something happens in us, too.

• Some of us double down and grind harder.
• Some of us lose heart and quietly wonder if we misheard God.
• Some of us wrestle with disappointment in ourselves — or even in Him.

That’s the ache of the “not yet.”

What’s your “not yet”? Is it in your work, your family, your ministry, or your own heart? Whisper it to Jesus and ask Him to be with you in it.

A Trail Lesson for the Times When The Results Aren’t There Yet

Amy and I hiked in Summit County, Colorado, last week. The trail curved up a ridge to a dam. We weren’t sure if there would be a shorter way through to what lay above the dam. We could see a winding path to the left, but not to the right. And, at that point, with the elevation and the length of our hike already, we were looking for a shorter path. If the path didn’t give us access to the right, we might have to turn back.

There was only one way to find out: keep going.

So we did.

And at the top, a surprise waited for us. Not just a way through, but an entirely new view: Lake Monte. A quiet, grassy shoreline opened before us, filled with beauty we couldn’t have imagined from below.

That’s the thing about calling. You can’t always see the results from the trailhead. Sometimes you only discover them when you keep walking.

The Hidden Harvest

Scripture puts it this way:

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

Notice the phrase: “at the proper time.” Not instantly. Not on our timetable. The harvest is real, but often hidden until we push a little further around the bend.

Jesus echoes this in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

And Hebrews 11 reminds us that some of the heroes of faith never saw the full results of their obedience in their lifetimes — but their faithfulness still bore fruit in God’s story.

My cousin Ben Griffin captured this so well in a recent reflection:

“At the end of the day, all we can really do is abide in Jesus. Remain in Him. Drink deeply from His living water. Every result, every piece of fruit, flows from Him — not from us.”

https://www.facebook.com/reel/762243476608444

That truth became tangible on our hike. At the top of the dam, we found a spillway where the water poured over, creating the waterfall that fed the lake below. It struck me as the perfect metaphor: just as the lake could only be sustained by the overflow above, so the fruit of our work can only be sustained by Christ.

Or as I like to say: not just Cristo…but Christo. 😉

The consistent message? Results are God’s domain. Remaining is ours.

What Psychology Tells Us

Interestingly, psychology agrees.

• The Goal Gradient Effect: Research shows that people push harder as they sense themselves closer to the finish line. Marathon runners sprint the last mile. Shoppers fill up a punch card faster when only a few stamps remain. The challenge in leadership and calling? We often can’t see how close we are. The “finish line” is hidden. Our brains crave immediate results, but long-term fruit often requires us to tolerate the discomfort of “not yet.”
• The Marshmallow Test: In the 1960s, psychologist Walter Mischel invited preschoolers to choose: eat one marshmallow now, or wait and get two later. Some devoured the treat right away. Others squirmed, sang, even covered their eyes — but managed to wait. Follow-up studies found those who waited often experienced greater success later in life, not because they were smarter, but because they had learned self-regulation and perseverance.

Later research added an important nuance: kids from less stable homes were less likely to wait, not out of weakness, but because they had learned not to trust the promise of the second marshmallow. Which reminds us: perseverance grows best in an environment of trust and hope.

“The deepest fruit comes not in the instant, but in the ‘not yet.’”

The bottom line? Our brains are wired for quick wins. But the deepest fruit comes to those who wait in trust. And the deepest fruit of all isn’t more results, it’s being one with Jesus. Every other harvest flows from that union.

Why This Matters for Leaders

When you’re aligned with your purpose and calling but not seeing results, you face three dangerous temptations:

1. To give up too soon. To assume the lack of fruit means failure.
2. To grind harder. To believe results come only from sheer effort, instead of trust and steady abiding.
3. To miss the point. To place too much emphasis on your work or your preconceived results, forgetting that the true fruit is found in Jesus Himself.

All three miss the truth. The harvest is real. The lake is up ahead. But it’s discovered through perseverance and abiding, not panic or misplaced priorities.

Signs You’re Aligned but Frustrated

• You’re exhausted, not from overwork, but from the emptiness of no fruit.

• You question whether your calling is real.

• You find yourself comparing your journey to others’ visible success.

Sound familiar?
You’re not broken. You’re human. And you’re right in the middle of the “not yet.”

Practical Next Steps for When the Results Aren’t There Yet

When the results aren’t showing up, here are four ways to keep walking:

1. Return to Your Why and Who. Reconnect with the purpose and people God entrusted to you. Let them steady you when results feel distant.
2. Seek feedback from trusted voices. Sometimes results are happening, but we’re too close to see them. Others can point out the fruit we’ve missed.
3. Build markers of faithfulness, not just outcomes. Instead of only measuring results, celebrate obedience, growth, or seeds planted along the way.
4. Return to Jesus as your true reward. Remember that abiding in Him is the deepest fruit of all. Every other harvest flows from that union.
   
   “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11)
   
   “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)

A Gentle Challenge

If you’re aligned in Christ, walking in your calling, and not seeing what you hoped for, don’t turn back.

Identify one area where you feel weary, and instead of asking, “Is the harvest here yet?” ask, “What’s the faithful next step I can take today?”

Because you may be closer than you think.

The only way to discover the lake is to keep walking.

And here’s the hope: even when the visible results are hidden, you are not empty-handed. The deepest fruit is already yours: union with Jesus. Abiding in Him, remaining in His love, drawing from His living water. Every other harvest flows from that.

So keep walking. Keep trusting. Keep abiding. The lake, and the Lord of the harvest, are nearer than you think.