“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows’. (Galatians 6:7)
Sowing and reaping is also a law of the natural world and the spiritual world. It is a proverb of life that we reap what we sow. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows’, meaning that there are natural consequences to our actions.
The world works with the rule of cause and effect: every time we choose an action, we also choose the consequences of that action.
Furthermore, this law also works with the principle of waiting. But especially to the undiscerning, waiting can be painful and frustrating.
To many, frustration comes from the painful process that comes as they wait to reap the harvests of their labor.
In the spiritual sense, the discipline that comes with the word of God appears painful because you cannot do what your flesh commands you to do as you seek a deeper walk with God.
On the contrary the indiscipline and pleasure that comes with walking after the flesh (disobedience) appears attractive with the freedom to choose and do whatever one likes, being not accountable to God’s instructions.
The immediate gain that comes with sowing in the flesh as opposed to the painful and slow process of the harvest that comes with sowing in the Spirit does not nullify the reward of the Spirit.
In Psalm 73, an observer of a painful process of waiting on God says:’ For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked… They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.’, and with a sense of frustration he added: ‘All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence’.
But when his mind became illuminated with the spiritual dimension of the law of sowing and reaping he said: ‘until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin’.
As we can see, the result of walking after the Spirit or after the flesh is vastly different.
The one who walks bound to the word of God walks in true freedom of the Spirit while the one who walks after the flesh and in the freedom of disobedience walks in bondage and all sorts of addiction to sin.
To press this narrative further, Apostle Paul says: “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life’.
How do we sow to the Spirit or the to the flesh? A classic example was in the case of Abraham who got tired of waiting for the promised Isaac but took matters into his hand (Gen 16).
God promised him a son, but God was taking too long so he gave in to Sarah’s advice which led to the birth of Ishmael. In order words, impatience is a work of the flesh as opposed to faith and waiting.
Let us consider some other ways one can sow in the flesh. Sowing to the flesh begins in the mind.
Jesus says ‘.. the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man’.
Paul lists many practices that illustrate sowing to the flesh: adultery, sexual impurity, indecency, sensuality, involvement with the occult, hatred, quarrels, fits of temper, selfish ambition, dissension, envy, drunkenness, and carousing (Gal 5:19–21).
It is important to point out here that all these things form the plot of modern entertainment and with a huge influence on millions of followers and no wonder the world continues to degenerate at a rapid rate.
How do you sow in the Spirit? When you choose to tell the truth at all costs regardless of personal harm, you are sowing to the Spirit.
When you take evil thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, you are sowing to the Spirit (2 Cor 10:3–5). Every time you pray, you are sowing to the Spirit.
If in this life, in ordinary tasks, we see the law of sowing and reaping why do we disdain same law in things that pertain to eternity?
It is the height of delusion to think that we can glide through this life without eternal consequences, or without a date of accountability with an eternal judge.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.’. (2 Corinthians 5:10).
The good news is that it is never too late to turn a new leave begin to sow into the Spirit by yielding to the word of God.
Are you presently feeling frustrated because you see the ungodly prospering all around you wondering if your righteous walking and the waiting is worth it? I would want to draw your attention to the word of God for encouragement:
‘This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed’. (Habakkuk 2:3)
Reading
Genesis 16: 1-16
