ThTh.005: You Reap What You Sow

In the bible we are told that what we sow is what we will reap. This analogy made a lot of sense for its time and since growing things is a timeless endeavor, we can continue to glean a lot from this teaching. It is logical to expect that if I plant a seed for corn, I will one day reap a harvest of corn from the stalks. There are a lot of variables to the survival of the plant. We must nurture it and protect it for it to grow all the way to fruition. Let’s imagine everything is done correctly to care for the plant, even then we must wait for some time before the fruit is ready to pick and good to eat. Depending on what you have planted, the time to fruition can vary. We must be patient and remember to care for the plant consistently all along the way to our harvest. Believing in that harvest has a lot to do with our success too. If we do not believe that our efforts will have a positive outcome in the end, then what reason do we have to keep going? It is imperative that we truly believe in the ultimate promises from God that He gives us through His word as well as the personal promises He has whispered in our ears.

Some of us may plant some things we do not intend to. Either we plant something on purpose and later change our minds or we are slipped the wrong seeds at the store (or by mail from china!) We trust the package to tell us what is inside but sometimes the one who packaged it got it wrong too. We are imperfect beings and mistakes happen. The good news is, God still has grace for us in these instances. When we find something growing in our lives that we cannot handle or that we never wanted in the first place, we can try to make it go away by ignoring it but, by some unspoken law of nature, usually weeds and plants that we don’t want and ignore do a good job of taking care of themselves. These things can still grow to produce unwanted fruit in our lives.

Sometimes the way God’s grace presents itself is in a pestilence or plague sent to kill the bad plants and devour the bad fruit to keep us from temptation to consume it and protect us from the effects of it in our lives. This can be scary, especially if the thing being destroyed or taken away is something we cling to knowing it is bad, but we’ve embraced it in sin. It can be a very polarizing event in our relationship with God to have it torn away so violently. Unfortunately, some people never recover from their hurts over these types of situations. Sometimes we never allow ourselves to grow up and see how that thing was hurting us more than the pain of losing it and that God removing it by whatever means necessary was the best thing for us. As we mature in our relationship with God and our faith in His goodness, it becomes easier to see these truths in the midst of our circumstances and to hold on to His promise of the better things He has for us, after and out of the wreckage.

Dead things and feces fertilize soil. They used to be something that brought us joy, in live and pre-digestive states, but now they are disgusting, stinky, and sad! Yet they make the ground in us richer and able to grow healthier things. Some things in our lives must die and we must go through some crap in order to fertilize our souls and prepare the ground in us to grow stronger versions of the things God has planted in us and planned for us. Nothing is wasted! It is all fuel for future success and blessings. So, do not let your failures keep you down and do not let the things of this world that have fallen apart in your life stunt your relationship with God. He is trying to teach you something which will fertilize you for the great things to come!

Blessings FAM!

What crops has God sent pestilence for in your life lately? Is that crop something you have been embracing in sin? Is it something you may not have planted at all but somehow it crept into your garden? How can the loss of that crop bring more freedom, joy, strength, or provision in your life? It may be scary and really hard to wrap your mind around right now but trust God with it! He knows how the absence of that thing will lead you to the better things He has for you. Let go and let God grow you!