The story behind today’s post comes from this morning as the phrase “do not give up” and the word “harvest” came to my mind when I woke up this morning. Afterwards, my mind went to a book in the Bible that I know has this phrase and word: Galatians. Paul writes,
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:7-9).
Before we get to verse nine, let us look at the verses prior. Most of us (if not all of us) have heard the phrase “you reap what you sow.” Well, it is a safe guess that the source for that phrase is Galatians 6:7. Paul makes it clear in verse eight that there are two types of sowing, which are rooted in pleasing the flesh or pleasing the Holy Spirit.
What is interesting is as I read “please” in verse eight the word “feed” crossed my mind. Think of how a farmer plants seeds (sow), and as the farmer overtime feeds the seeds, one day the seeds blossom into a crop (reap). We too have our own seeds within us known as the flesh and the Holy Spirit. The question is which are we feeding the most?
Ponder that question, as we look closer at both. Up first is the seed that we all have had within us since birth our flesh desires. Beginning in childhood, our instinct is to be selfish. For example, as children, our parents, teachers, or guardians had to teach us to share with others. Alternatively, as children and as teenagers when someone in authority gave us a rule to follow, there was this instinct (or thought) to want to disobey because the rule went against what we would rather do instead.
What produces through our flesh does not just end at selfishness. When we feed our flesh in the teenage years as well as in adulthood, it brings forth actions that are even more negative. Paul describes the characteristics by writing,
19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).
Think for moment about what we hear in some secular music, see on TV, see in movies, read in secular books, or hear when around people at school or at work. What Paul describes regarding those who are living in the flesh does it not reflect the world we live in? If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you may think of the world as those who are lost. Yet, many believers feed their flesh more than feeding the Holy Spirit.
Unlike our flesh, which is natural since birth to feed and act in, once accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior and receiving the Holy Spirit, we must choose to feed Him. What are the characteristics of one that lives according to the Holy Spirit? Paul answers this writing,
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).
Paul uses the words “crucified the flesh” in verse 24 to describe what those who follow Jesus must do to their flesh. It brings to mind something that Jesus said in Luke 9:23-24, about what it means to follow Him:
23Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.’
Following Jesus was never just about changing our eternity. We were never supposed to go back to living our lives the way we did before we chose Him. To follow Him is to be His disciple and to be His disciple is to deny ourselves and to deny ourselves is to deny our flesh and crucify it. If we have one foot in with Jesus and His ways and one foot in living by our flesh, (and thusly living the worlds way), we have to ask ourselves are we truly living out lives that reflect being Jesus’ disciples?
Many of Jesus’ disciples found the cost too much to follow Him and walked away (John 6:66). Have there been days for me where it has been uncomfortable and hard? Of course, there have been. If you read my blog posts from the Take up Your Cross series, then you know how this year has been a year of God asking me to get uncomfortable more than ever. I do not follow Jesus in hopes of having a smooth sailing, easy life. One of the many reasons that I follow Him is because He is the only one ever to walk this earth that overcame every single heartache, trial, test, temptation, doubt, fear, etc. that I will ever face on this earth (John 16:33).
When it is difficult to crucify the flesh, or the tests and trials are too much to handle, or the wait feels like it is far too long, remember Galatians 6:9; which says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Do not give up on doing things God’s way. Do not become weary in doing what He has called you to do. Do not stop feeding and pleasing the Holy Spirit by studying the Word of God and living it out. At the right time, God will reveal a harvest on the other side of the waiting and on the other side of those tests and trials. A harvest that will surprise you, exceed what you dreamed, and will bring Him glory, honor, and praise, which makes His harvests always worth the wait.
All Bible verses are from Holy Bible: New International Version