How to Reap a Harvest When Plowed by Painful Trials

“In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest” Exodus 34: 21b.

This passage is actually talking about the sabbath, but I want to focus on this idea of plowing and harvest for a minute.

Plowing To Reap a Harvest

In order to have a harvest you must first have a plowing time. The harvest speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, which is love. And plowing alludes to painful trials. So, trials are necessary in order to be filled with the Spirit of love.

The fruit or harvest of the Spirit is love.

How does this work?

1 Peter tells us “whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” 1 Peter 4: 1.

James 1: 2-4: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

And Proverbs 20: 30 tells us that “blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts”.

Love Makes Us Mature

We can see from these verses that trials make us mature and deliver us from sin. But really what happens is as we continue to be obedient in the midst of our trials, we get filled with the Spirit of love. And love causes us to be mature.

It’s not the trial in itself that fills us with the Holy Spirit, it’s obedience in the trial. “And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him “Acts 5: 32.

The plowing is necessary for the seed to be sown. The seed is the word of God (Luke 8: 11). Once the ground is plowed, it’s then soft enough to receive the seed. This speaks of faith and obedience to the word.

And isn’t this exactly the way it works? When we go through difficult, painful trials, our hearts become much more receptive to what God is wanting to speak to us.

Before I was Afflicted, I went Astray

It softens our heart so we’re willing to yield to the word that we stubbornly refused to obey before our trial. King David famously said: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word” Psalm 119: 67.

And it’s faith in, and obedience to the word of God that produces the harvest of love. But we must continue in His word. We need to diligently protect that seed from the weeds that would choke it (distractions such as focusing on our own needs and goals) (Mark 4: 18, 19).

And we have to faithfully water it with the Holy Spirit. Remember, we are continually filled with the Holy Spirit as we receive and obey the word.

An Example of Plowing to Reap a Harvest

Let’s say for example you smoke. You’ve known for a long time that it’s bad for your health and you should quit. But you haven’t really taken it very seriously until one day you go to the doctor and find out you have emphysema. And unless you quit, you will eventually die of it.

This is the plowing. It’s the painful trial that causes you to finally get serious about quitting or die an early death. This knowledge softens your heart to the point where you realize you need to quit now. So, you decide to quit even though it’s hard.

You have to make the choice each time you’re tempted to smoke to value your life more than immediate gratification. This is watering the word by obedience.

After a few months though, you begin to let down your guard a little.

And you begin to entertain the thought that just one after dinner wouldn’t hurt. Surely, you’re strong enough now to handle it. It’s just that it would taste so good after a good meal. You’re feeling so much better now. And just one couldn’t hurt.

This is the weeds that threaten to choke and destroy the seed. If you give in to this lie you will likely gradually go back to your old habit. And you will lose your harvest.

A Spiritual Harvest Produces a Natural Harvest

And what is the harvest? The spiritual harvest is more maturity, strength, wisdom and emotional health. In a word love.

But there’s also a natural harvest, which is improved health, vitality and a longer life. Any Christian who does something as difficult as quit smoking will be filled more and more with the Holy Spirit as they say no to the temptations. And die to sin, needs and self.

They will reap a harvest of the fruit of the Spirit, which is love.

So, here’s the progression: Painful trial= Soft heart= Faith and obedience to the word= Continued obedience= More love= Rewards of love and wisdom including usefulness.

An Example from the Gospels

This is similar to the loaves Jesus took from the boy and multiplied to feed the 5,000.

First Jesus:

1. Took the bread
2. Broke it (equates to plowing)
3. Blessed it (equates to the harvest)
4. Used it

To read another post related to How to Reap a Harvest when Plowed by Painful Trials see Why Trust in God when It’s Easier to Trust in Yourself?