“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Galatians 6:7 NIV
Doubting if there will be a harvest:
When I started to dream up sending out this newsletter I knew it could take some time to “pay off.” Anyone in a creative field knows what it is like to pursue a passion with everything you have, giving it your time, energy and devotion, and at times, it can feel aimless. Honestly, I think a lot of us often wonder if our investments will pay off in the long run. A question I’m often asking myself is, “What if all of this is for nothing?”
As a seven on the enneagram, I have a tendency to be very driven by rewards. I learned this about myself at a young age. I’d bribe myself to finish my math homework by telling myself I could have a bowl of ice cream once I finished it. In college I would reward myself with nights out with friends when I finished a project, or buy myself a cup of coffee after finishing an essay I was dreading writing. For me, the reward can even just be someone telling me that they enjoyed something I wrote, or that they felt inspired. It makes me feel like my investment was worth something.
I’ve been working on a new project, and I’ve noticed that when I’m rewarded by my writing whether it’s a paid project or publication, it’s way easier for me to write. When I don’t know if it will end up just hanging out in my google drive for ages without anyone reading it, or it doesn’t seem to result in anything, that’s when I feel like I have to drag myself over to the keyboard. My mind will start to spin wondering, what if I put so much time and thought into this, and no one ever sees it? What if I spend my life on this passion, and it doesn’t matter? What if nothing I write is ever good enough? What is the point in even trying?
God will bring a harvest:
I find comfort in God’s promise to us in Galatians 6:7. We will reap what we sow. When I start to wonder if my time and effort is worth it, is my generosity worth it, is it worth it to invest in these things? I have to remind myself that our God is the One who brings the harvest. There is an action required: we have to sow. When we sow, God takes that effort, that time, that generosity, and he brings a harvest.
A harvest isn’t just a promise that when we plant something, something will grow. This is true, but it also is a promise of multiplication. One small seed can amount to a huge plant, an entire vine, a vast tree. The encouragement I find in God’s consistency to bring the harvest, is the promise that when we plant something, we can sit back, and watch it grow. The timing might not always look how we imagined, maybe we want an overnight success story, and God requires patience as we wait for the harvest, but we can be confident that the harvest will always come.
We reap what we sow:
For you this might look like investing in a business venture without knowing how it will turn out, or maybe it’s a friendship that you’re starting to grow. It could also be volunteering your time, or giving generously to your local church or a charity you’re passionate about. Sowing can also be giving people access to our thoughts, or our resources.
My husband and I have noticed this principle show up in our lives because we are eager to connect people with others. We are quick to help people find jobs, send out resumes, and even just connect people with each other who we think could become great friends. When we moved to Tennessee, we were amazed by how many people eagerly shared their connections with us, and then we realized it was really God fulfilling His promise to us—we were reaping what we had sown.
There is also a caution in this. In my spiritual life, I am constantly planting seeds. I shouldn’t be surprised when I am reaping what has been sown. If I am sowing anxiety, and I choose to feed my anxious thoughts with doubt and fear throughout the day, why would I be surprised when they grow? God is keeping His promise—I am reaping what I have sown.
Planting seeds in our spirits:
I feel challenged by this passage to ask myself, what am I sowing today? I want to take a closer look at the figurative garden I’m growing in my life, and take caution as a plant with my thoughts, words, and actions. If I see what I am reaping and I’m not happy with it, I shouldn’t blame God for it, but I need to rewind and ask myself, what is it that I’ve sown? Then, I can make the choice to no longer sow those seeds.
I also feel encouraged when I see God bring the harvest! When we make sacrifices with our time, when we are generous with our finances, when we plant seeds that are genuine and good, we can be expectant that we will see the harvest. God is always faithful in taking our small seed and multiplying it. We can trust Him to bring the harvest.
When I forget that God is always faithful to bring the harvest, I start to wonder why I am working so hard for something without a reward. However, this kingdom principle reminds me that there is a reward. There is a promise of a reward that is coming, a harvest that is coming, and I know God will be faithful as He always is. I don’t have to ask myself, “is all of this for nothing?” Because that simply isn’t in line with who God is. If you are in a season of sowing, continue to do so faithfully and with expectation. Our Father promises us to bring us the reward, the harvest, the fruit, we can be confident in reaping what we sow.
Journaling Prompts:
-What are you sowing?
-Is there an area where you hesitate to invest time or resources into for fear of it not being “worth it?”
-How can you be more cautious about what you are sowing through your words and actions throughout your day?
Prayer:
Hey God, Thank you for being a God who keeps His promises. Thank you for being a God who will be faithful to bring the harvest. Send your Holy Spirit to guide me during my day, to help me to be faithful to sow the seeds you have called me to sow. Strengthen me in endurance as I wait expectantly for the harvest to come. Let this promise you have made encourage and equip me to sow seeds faithfully today. Amen.