Change the Way You Think, Change Your Life

In Galatians 6:7 it says, “Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest.” (GW)

I don’t plant apple seeds and get tomatoes.

In the same way, I don’t plant bitterness and get love. I don’t plant criticism and then get encouragement from others.

Galatians 6:7 says, “Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest” (GW).

Read that again: “Whatever I plant is what I’ll harvest.” If I plant in the soil of my sinful nature and bad habits, I’ll harvest destruction and undesired outcomes. But if I plant in the soil of my spiritual nature, I’ll harvest everlasting life.

God has said for thousands of years that our sins can affect future generations. For instance, when I’m angry and lose my temper with my kids or grandkids, I’m setting them up to lose their temper with their kids. Sins get perpetuated in families, possibly for multiple generations. Not only does it work relationally and environmentally, but it also works physically. Our brains can actually be changed by repetitive behavior, for good or for bad.

Everyone used to think the brain was pretty much set in stone by the time you were an adolescent. Now we know about brain plasticity and how a brain can continue to be molded for the rest of life.

That’s good to know! It means if my brain has been naturally molded toward depression or a quick temper or anxiety, it can change.

But I’ve got to change the way I think. The Bible refers to this as repentance or changing your mind. I can change my mind, and when I do, it changes the way I feel. And when I change the way I feel, it changes the way I act.

So I need to plant in my spiritual nature and watch what amazing fruit God will reap in life.

I shouldn't be misled, I cannot mock the justice of God. I will always harvest what I plant. If I live to satisfy my own sinful nature, I will end up harvesting decay and death from that sinful nature. But if I live to please the Spirit I will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So I should never get tired of doing what is good. For at the right time I will reap a harvest of blessing if I don't give up. Therefore, whenever I have the opportunity, I should do good to everyone, especially to those in the family of faith.

It would be a surprise to plant corn but have pumpkins come up. It's a natural law to harvest what I plant. I'm finding that it's true in other areas as well. Every action has results. If I plant to please my own desires, I'll end up harvesting sorrow and evil. However, if I plant to please God, I'll harvest joy and everlasting life. So today I should consider what kind of seeds I’m planting?

It is discouraging to continue to do right and receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. But Paul challenged the Galatians and myself, to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. In due time, I will reap a harvest of blessings.

Every action of mine will have some type of result. Just like the farmer, there will always be a delay in receiving the harvest. Fruit takes time to ripen. Just know that while I’m waiting, God is working. Until then, trust that God is working, even when the fruit is not evident or seen yet. Just leave it to God and let him grow it in his timing.  

I Reap More Than I Sow

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 I read, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (NIV)

If a farmer goes out with a trailer load of beans and plants them in a barren field, what fruit does he expect to bear? Watermelon? Cucumbers? No, he’s going to get beans. He doesn’t doubt or question that outcome—because whatever is planted is what comes back.

This is the law of reproduction, and it applies to every single area of life—especially finances. Another way to explain the law of reproduction is this: I reap what I sow.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (NIV).

This can work either positively or negatively in life. If I’m planting seeds of kindness, people will be kind to me. If I forgive others, they will be forgiving of me. If I’m generous, people will show generosity to me.

But if I’m angry all the time, people will respond in anger. If I cheat others, others are going to cheat me. If I gossip about others, guess what? People are going to gossip about me.

The law of reproduction says that I reap what I sow. But the principle of multiplication says that I also always reap more than I sow. 

When I put one kernel of corn in the ground, I don’t get one kernel of corn back. I get a cornstalk with multiple ears on it and hundreds of kernels on each of those ears. This is the exponential power that God has established in the universe. I always get more out of it than I put into it.

If someone verbally attacks me, I never attack in return. Why? To keep from getting caught in the chain. If I say anything bad back, I’m going to reap more than I sowed. So I should choose to do the exact opposite of what they’ve done. Bless and pray for them. Why? Because that’s what I want to receive, and I always reap more than I sow. Proverbs 11:24 says, “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller” (The Message).

In summary, If a farmer goes out with a trailer load of beans and plants them he’s going to get beans. He doesn’t doubt or question that outcome—because whatever is planted is what comes back. This is the law of reproduction, and it applies to every single area of life. I will reap what I sow. Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. I need to give what I have decided in my heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”. This can work either positively or negatively. If I’m planting seeds of kindness, people will be kind to me. If I’m angry all the time, people will respond in anger. The law of reproduction says that I reap what I sow. But the principle of multiplication says that I also always reap more than I sow. When I put one kernel of corn in the ground, I don’t get one kernel of corn back. I get a cornstalk with multiple ears on it and hundreds of kernels. This is the exponential power that God has established in the universe. I always get more out of it than I put into it. If someone verbally attacks me, I should never attack in return. I do so to keep from getting caught in the chain. If I say anything bad back, I’m going to reap more than I sowed. So I should choose to do the exact opposite. Bless and pray for them. Because that’s what I want to receive, and I always reap more than I sow. The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller”.

God loves a cheerful giver and will always meet my needs. Having a giving attitude is more important than the amount that is given. God is pleased when I give generously and joyfully like him. Having difficulty in giving reflects ungratefulness to God. This principle of sowing and reaping applies to every area of life, not just money. Whatever I sow in life, I'll reap. If I sow with generosity, I'll reap generosity in my life. Amazingly enough, if I give it away, God will multiply it. I don't just reap what I sow, I'll always reap more. The way I get is by giving, not holding on.  

While I’m Waiting, God Is Working

In Galatians 6:9 I read, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.” (NLT)

The Bible tells me that there are seasons in life. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (NIV).

The fact that life is made up of seasons means that life also includes times of waiting. Between the “then” and the “now”—or the “now” and the “what’s coming next”—there is always a delay. This irritates most, including myself at times. It can be frustrating to make a deposit, investment, or plan and not have it instantly come to fruition.

But fruit ripens slowly. Would I rather eat a vine-ripened tomato or one that has been picked green and then gassed to turn it red? There’s no comparison between a vine-ripened tomato, which was allowed to grow slowly, and a tomato that was picked prematurely. If I pick too soon, I’ll miss the flavor.

In money management, I’ll always reap in a different season than I sow. And, by the way, not all fruit ripens at the same time. When peaches grow, they’re not all ripe at once. They come in little by little; you can pick a few a day. When I start planting and following God’s money management principles, I’m not going to get a windfall tomorrow. It’s going to come in over time. I’m going to have to wait to reap in a different season.

But while I’m waiting, God is working. When I’m waiting for the fulfillment of the efforts or money or energy that I’ve put into something, I may think or assume nothing’s happening.

But, oh, it’s happening! While that seed is hidden in the ground, it is slowly germinating. And when that seed bursts with God’s blessing on it, it will continue growing and growing. One day a little shoot will stick up out of the ground, and then you will see that it’s working. 

But until then, I need to trust that God is working—even when I can’t see the fruit of my labor. 

Plants take time to grow. There’s no such thing as instant maturity. No farmer goes out, plants the seed in the ground, comes back an hour later, digs it up, and expects it to have grown. I’ve just got to let it be, and let God grow it in his time.

Galatians 6:9 says, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT).

In summary, there are seasons in life. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”. The fact that life is made up of seasons means that life also includes times of waiting. There is always a delay. This irritates most, including myself. It can be frustrating to make a deposit, investment, or plan and not have it instantly come to fruition. But fruit ripens slowly. If I pick too soon it won’t be good, I'll miss the flavor. In money management, I’ll always reap in a different season than I sow. Not all fruit ripens at the same time. When I start planting and following God’s money management principles, I’m not going to get a windfall tomorrow. It’s going to come in over time. I’m going to have to wait to reap in a different season. But while I’m waiting, God is working. When I’m waiting, I may think or assume nothing’s happening. But, it is. While that seed is hidden in the ground, it is slowly germinating. And when that seed bursts with God’s blessing on it, it will continue growing and growing. Until then, I need to trust that God is working—even when I can’t see the fruit of my labor. Plants take time to grow. There’s no such thing as instant maturity. I’ve just got to let it be, and let God grow it in his time. So “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up”.

It is discouraging to continue to do right and receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. But Paul challenged the Galatians and myself to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. In due time, I will reap a harvest of blessings.