The Rhythms of Life: Plowing Before Reaping

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The Rhythms of Life: Plowing Before Reaping by Helen Lescheid

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8)

Sometimes trouble comes at us from all sides. You’ve heard it said that trouble comes in bunches, right? I was thinking of this when my friend told me what was happening in her life: her marriage is breaking up; her daughter’s baby is in intensive care; a second daughter’s house burned down, the third daughter is estranged from the family.

Wow! My heart went out to her and all I could think of to say was “You will survive this. This, too, will come to an end.”

I was thinking of what helped me when I felt besieged by trouble. At that time, someone gave me a Scripture that was of great comfort to me. It reads like this:

Listen to me; listen as I plead! Does a farmer always plow and never sow? Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting it? Does he not finally plant his seeds…

Just as a good farmer abides by the rhythms in farming, so God, a much wiser Gardener, orchestrates the rhythms in our lives.

God’s purpose for our lives is that they bring forth much fruit for His glory. For this to happen, we must experience seasons of plowing and harrowing– a necessary preparation for seeding and harvesting. And even in harvesting a wise farmer shows discretion and sensitivity, Isaiah tells us.

The farmer doesn’t thresh all his crops the same way. A heavy sledge is never used on dill; rather, it is beaten with a light stick. A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin; instead, it is beaten softly with a flail. Bread grain is easily crushed, so he doesn’t keep on pounding it. (Isaiah 28:23-28)

Just as the farmer uses special tools to plant and harvest so he will not destroy the plants and the seed, so God deals with each of us sensitively, knowing our weaknesses.

Are you besieged by trouble right now? Be encouraged: This difficult period that is tearing at you now will come to an end. In God’s economy everything is measured. Timed. Purposeful. Plowing and harrowing are seasonal. After that comes the planting and harvesting.

~ Thank you, Father that You are at work in my life right now. Infuse me with Your patience and joy as I trust You to work out the patterns in my life. Amen.

Questions: Does God seem far away to you today? How can you get close to Him again?