Do you know how to cultivate a spiritual crop? All children of God are called to bear spiritual fruit, to cultivate a spiritual crop. What this means for each of us is a little different. We’ve been gifted and wired special and peculiar ways. God has created us unique and also our callings will be unique. Hence we are not to compare ourselves with each other. We are to do the creative best we can with our own life and help others along the way. The main goal for all of us is to bring glory to God with everything we do.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (Gal. 6: 4-5, MSG)

All our actions are seeds planted in the soil of life. It really does matter what we do, what we pray, what we think, what we say. They’re all seeds we’re planting. What we plant, we will harvest. What kind of seeds do you want to plant? What kind of harvest do you want to reap?

Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience. Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. (Gal. 6: 6-8, MSG)

We are to plant in response to God. We are to follow God’s guidance and his plan for our life. When we let the Holy Spirit work in us and through us we will eventually harvest a spiritual crop, eternal life. But we need to be faithful in planting. We need to keep on doing good even when we don’t see results. Cultivating a crop does take time and lots of hard work. We need to weed, water and nurture while planting more seeds. We need to have patience to wait and endure growing pangs. But we are not to quit. There will be a harvest! At the right time we will harvest a good crop instead of weeds. Let’s keep on keeping on!

So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. (Gal. 6: 9-10, MSG)

Gracious God,
Thank you for giving meaning for our lives.
Thank you for calling us to work for you.
Equip us with the tools we need!
Give us endurance, patience and skills to
cultivate a great spiritual crop!
Bless what we plant,
enable the growth!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: What is hardest in cultivating a spiritual crop?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you plant and cultivate a spiritual crop!

Photo courtesy of Joel Millhouse/creationswap.com, design by Mari-Anna Stålnacke. This post is refurbished from 2011.