Psalm 126:6 “He who goes out weeping carrying seed to sow will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”
Tragedy, loss, and difficulties are very tough. It is easy to allow a struggle to drown out your life with uncertainty, depression, fear, or sorrow. Before you know it, life has stopped, and you are powerless to go forward. This Scripture offers a powerful principle for times like these. Moving forward in a productive manner positions you to experience God and to once again start bearing fruit in your life. Nothing will happen if you are frozen in time over what has happened. Nor will anything happen if you do not take steps to plant seeds of change.
Times like these can be wonderful times to see God at work. God can breathe life and peace into chaos allowing you to go forward. The following spiritual principles will greatly enliven God in your journey:
- Job 11:13 directs you to put God in charge: "Yet if you devote your heart to Him and stretch out your hands to Him.”
- Job 11:14 challenges you to identify any sin that might be present in your circumstances: “If you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear.”
- Philippians 3:8 positions you to make God number one with a heart that is willing to take whatever comes: “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
- Hosea10:12 says to do everything in righteousness: “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love.”
- Hosea 10:12 goes on to say: “Break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until He comes and showers righteousness on you.” Give God anything you are holding back.
- Galatians 6:8 tells you to do everything in righteousness so to please God: “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Do not languish in despair but keep your eyes on Jesus. You do not know what the results in this world will be, but you do know that God will reap a rich harvest through you if you wholeheartedly devote yourself to Him.
Psalm 30:5 “For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
Do you know someone who needs this message on dealing with difficult times? Click below to forward or read this devotion.
Here are some Bible studies from Growing in Christ to help your transformative experience: “Hard Times” and “Satisfaction.”