A man will reap what he sows..

       Jesus often uses farming analogies when teaching his parables.   Fruit, vines, harvests, reap, sowing, and seeds are just some of the words used by Jesus to teach us about growth.   GOD has been teaching me many things about these parables recently and I wanted to share them with you.    The next few blog posts will all have some sort of farming component to them.  ENJOY!

I was watching an online sermon the other day and the pastor read an excerpt from a book that made me think.   I don’t remember the exact quotes but it went something like this:

A woman wants to lose weight but she refuses to exercise or count calories.

A man wants to get married to a good Christian girl, but dates every cute girl who comes along; even if they are not Christian.

A couple wants to be debt free but they spend money they don’t have for using credit cards.

            These are just a few examples the pastor gave us of how people set out with good intentions but lack the drive to complete the goals.   These people are reaping what they sow.   The woman who wants to lose weight will always stay heavy unless she gets her diet under control.   She reaps what she sows.   The couple will always stay in debt if they don’t control their spending.  They reap what they sow.

            This is true in many things in life.  If I want to build strong relationships with people I need to be willing to put in the work to do so.   If I want to be a better teacher I need to go to workshops and seminars.   If I want to have a better relationship with my Savior I need to have the discipline to get into the word, pray and worship. 

~Sunny :D

Planting-Waiting-Harvesting

When a seed is planted, a farmer knows what that seed will become because he is the one who planted it.   During the waiting phase, a seed does not grow overnight; it takes time for the plant to grow.   It takes sunshine, water and time.   It also needs the farmer to maintain the soil and get rid of the weeds.  During the harvest time is when the blessings of the hard work is finally realized.   

GOD is the farmer and he planted a seed in my heart to become married.   I believe this desire was placed in my heart when I was very young, but I never allowed GOD to actually do the work in me that needed to be done.    The waiting phase is probably the most difficult thing for humans to experience.  

I was reading the story of Joseph the other day and I was thinking about the idea of waiting.  Joseph knew that he would someday be something great, but he had to wait for GOD to work it out.   I always wonder how difficult it would be for Joseph to keep his faith in GOD for the promise when he was living in a prison all those years.   Someday I hope to ask him about it in heaven.   Joseph had to WAIT.  Abraham is another biblical character who had to wait for GOD’s promise.   Abraham wanted a child and GOD promised him a child, yet Abraham had to wait many years for that promise to be fulfilled.   Abraham had to WAIT.

The desire to be married has been placed in my heart and I have faith that GOD will fulfill this need.   However, right now I am in the waiting phase.  This phase is SO difficult.     I find myself questioning: How long O GOD will I wait on you?   This stage takes time.  GOD has to “weed” out all the bad stuff.  (see my next post titled ‘Ouch GOD that hurts’).  I am following GOD’s lead right now to teach me what I am supposed to learn during this phase.  I am learning how to be content by myself.  I am learning how to fully trust him with my life.

I feel like a seedling.  I am finally growing out of the soil, but I am very small and I am not ready to be harvested.   I still have a lot of growing to do.  I know this growing is going to be painful.   It’s going to put me on my knees before the LORD often. It is going to take time.   I have so much work to do before I will be ready for the blessing I am longing for.  I know this.  I need to work on myself before I can be a blessing for someone else.   I am choosing to follow GOD’s will over my own, which will only make the harvest sweeter.

After the waiting phase is over, I will be able to harvest.    GOD will bring the most amazing man of GOD into my life.   This man will be a blessing to me and I will be a blessing to him.    GOD timing is perfect and I need to trust him with this very sensitive area of my life.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”

~Ecclesiastes 3:1

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it.  It will certainly come and will not delay.”

~Habakkuh 2:3

~Sunny :D

Ouch! GOD that HURTS!!!!

Right now I am in a “waiting” stage.  I truly feel like GOD is preparing me for something amazing.   This stage is not just a waiting stage.  I am being pruned. 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.   Remain in me, as I remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” ~John 15: 1-2 & 4.

            I am not going to lie; being pruned kind of sucks.    I understand the purpose of it.  I am growing.  I am learning to depend more on GOD.  I am learning to trust him.  I have to completely surrender my plans on the alter before GOD and allow him to lead me into the next chapter of my life.    I understand this season is a season of being “tested”.    This is difficult.  Satan spews his lies into my ears all of hours of the day.    I keep finding myself standing at the fork in the road between two choices.  One that honors GOD and one that does not.   I have to submit my heartache to my loving GOD.  I have to hold onto the promises found in the bible.  I need to be in constant communication with my GOD just to feel like I can get through each day. 

I feel broken. I feel desperate for my heavenly father. 

I know he is here and he is helping me during this difficult time.   The bible promises that GOD draws near the brokenhearted (Psalm 34).     I understand that pruning is necessary because my loving GOD sees the potential for greatness in me. 

How much longer with the testing continue?   Until I pass the test I suppose.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let Perseverance finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~ James 1: 2-4

~Sunny :D