By: Donna Bucher
“Now faith is the substance
of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
Spring shrouds us in hope; the
promise of new life all around. We sneak peek after peek at our garden beds,
shrubs and trees for the evidence of the unseen life hidden within.
For as nature celebrates the
seasons, we too, celebrate spiritual seasons of change and growth. We sow seeds
of faith also that we might reap a harvest, and receive sustenance for the
strengthening of our inner man.
If we desire a spiritual harvest of
faith, we must attend to methods of sowing offering us a successful outcome.
Faith is cultivated; if we fail to tend the seeds we plant, no growth occurs;
faith cannot grow without tending. Romans 10:17 reminds us faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Sowing lasting seeds of faith whether in our own lives
or the lives of others, requires preparation, cultivation and adversity.
Sowing Lasting Seeds of Faith in our Hearts
Preparation. We must prepare the soil of our heart for the seeds of faith to grow. “Reading” the instructions in God’s Word, and hiding that Word in our heart through memorization. The “weeds” of sinful desires and worldly worries must be removed or the seeds of faith cannot grow. (Matthew 13:22-23)
Cultivation. Nurturing the seeds of faith involves watering the seed regularly with the Word of God, feeding the seed with gratitude and protecting the seed through obedience to God.
Adversity. Submitting to adversity strengthens our faith. Adversity builds resilience, trust and confidence in God. Romans 5:3-5 encourages us with the patience and hope secured through tribulation.
Sowing Lasting Seeds of Faith
in the Hearts of Others
We not only
receive and cultivate seeds of faith in our own lives, but God desires we also
sow seeds of lasting faith in the lives of others. As Paul points out in 1
Corinthians 3:6-7, we must remember we sow, but God gives the growth.
Prayerful Preparation. Prayerful preparation helps awaken our sensitivity to the needs of others. At times we focus too much on our own concept of what faith should look like in the lives of family or friends, hastily planting seeds of faith. Other times, we care more about our earthly relationship with someone than whether they join us in heaven, avoiding the sowing of seeds.
Careful Cultivation. Sensitivity and diligence in understanding the needs of others aids our efforts in the best manner of cultivating seeds of faith planted in the lives of those we love. Everyone “grows” at different rates and in different ways.
Intentional Influence. Influence presents the best method for nurturing seeds of faith in others. Living your faith out before friends and family encourages others going through adversity. Sharing a testimony, sermon notes or a Bible study all provide nourishment for faith to others.
May we grasp the art of sowing seeds of faith so that as God strengthens us, we may also strengthen others with the comfort of knowing in Christ our faith cannot fail.
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It's so important for us to recognize that we may not see immediate evidence of each seed planted. Some take more time and care. May we be faithful to keep sowing the seeds and trust God for the outcome and fruit.
ReplyDeleteYes, Joanne, sometimes I think the waiting is the hardest part of sowing seeds, especially seeds of faith!
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing how we can sow lasting seeds of faith. I pray that I may continue growing to grasp the art of sowing seeds of faith. Father, I pray that we may be of strength to others by letting them know that the comfort of knowing in Christ our faith cannot fail.
ReplyDelete