You Reap What You Sow
Being an imperfect perfect person and wanting to please a perfect God can sometimes be a daunting task. Not because God is hard to please but because in and of our self we will never be enough. However, God knew that and made provision for us when he sent Jesus. Why then, is it so hard not to sin? Why is it so hard to get it right? The answer is that we are flesh, frail and imperfect. It is our natural inclination to do things that please the flesh. However, if we do the things that please the spirit it will eventually become more natural. Whatever you feed grows. If you feed your flesh you will see the negative effects of that in your life. If you feed the spirit you will see the fruit of that in your life. The bible says in Galatians 6:8 that if you sow to the flesh you will reap destruction. If you sow to the spirit you will reap eternal life. Living in the flesh will always lead to your demise. It may not happen immediately but don’t be fooled, it will surely come.
When we are young spiritually our flesh is stronger and quicker than our spirit, so when I’m offended my natural default in the flesh is to say something rude in response. We can be just like computers, we have default settings. On my computer there is a default font and when I open it automatically it goes to that particular font. If I want anything different I have to go in and change it. The same goes for us. Romans 12:2 states “Be not conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The only thing that has the power to truly transform you is the word of God. We cannot change by ourselves. That is why it is so important to memorize scripture and practice applying it to your life.
Psalm 119:11 says “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” You have to put God in to get God out. If you saturate your mind with the word of God eventually you will become more like God and your character (and actions) will reflect him. I had to put God’s word in me. In those moments where I wanted to react out of my flesh God’s word would come to my mind. I would hear him whisper to me and I knew what I needed to do. As I began to apply God’s word in my life it became easier but more importantly it began to change me. Instead of getting offended and saying something rude in response I became a more understanding and compassionate person. Slowly, through putting God’s word in my heart I am changing outwardly. When I sow to the spirit and not the flesh, I reap eternal life and that is the ultimate goal.