On most days, I start my mornings by reading devotionals from a few of my favorite authors and ministries to bring myself into alignment with the Lord before the craziness of the world enters in. A couple of weeks ago, the devotional from that morning hit me right between the eyes, almost like a locomotive had run me over. You know the feeling.
The Bible verse highlighted in the devotional was Galatians 6:7 – “Be not deceived, God cannot be mocked: For whatever a man sows, therefore he shall also reap.” I had heard this verse many times, but never before did it have this strong of an impact on me. All I could think about were the seeds that I had been sowing in my marriage, with my children, at work, with my friends, and others. Why did this verse jump out at me this time more than ever before? Is the Lord tired of me going through the motions with my thoughts, words and actions? Yes or no, I certainly felt convicted.
I wrote this verse on a sticky note and placed it on my desk at work so that I would be forced to think about it each day. So over the last few weeks, here are some of the questions and issues that it has raised in my heart:
What seeds am I sowing each day? I realized that every meeting, every conversation and interaction is an opportunity to plant seeds. These are opportunities to represent Him, His Kingdom and His Word. I fall short here, but that cannot deter me. I need to be strong and courageous through Him. Every day I pray for Divine Appointments and He gives me many opportunities thankfully.
Why do I sometimes shy away from planting seeds with others? Am I fearful of their reaction or what they might say? Some of that is true unfortunately, but I’ve come to realize that it doesn’t matter how they react or what they might say. It only matters what I do in that situation. My job is to plant the seeds and then the Lord will do the watering and growing.
Some of the seeds I have planted have not sprouted. I have wondered if I am doing something wrong. It is painful not seeing results. I recognize that not all seeds grow and some will take longer than others. This requires “surrendering the seeds”. Surrendering doesn’t mean giving up, losing or that I am weak. Surrendering means coming under the Lord’s authority. It means relinquishing control over to Him. So once planted, it’s time to release or “surrender” the seeds over to the One who has a plan for each and every one of the seeds. This requires trust and faith that He will make the seeds sprout one day. Seeing all of the wonderful gifts He has given me over the years makes me confident that the seeds I have planted will grow someday (on His timetable).
As I wait patiently for the seeds to sprout, I can till the soil and make it more fertile with my words and actions. These are words that provide love, life, and healing; words that build self-esteem and self-respect. Yes, that is what is needed. Actions that show kindness are important; actions that bring peace, understanding, and wisdom are critical too. These seeds will require protection as well. It can all be very complicated, but as long as I “surrender the seeds” and my life over to the Lord, there is nothing to fear. He loves these seeds more than I ever could.
