We reap what we sow

Galatians 6:7
“Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.”
I could make a “6 7″ joke here, but the fact that I’m only now learning what it truly means says it all.

We don’t always realize how much each decision we make impacts us. The Bible warns that what we sow, we will reap in return. When we’re negative, negativity finds its way back to us. When we’re positive, we often receive positivity in return. And when we show kindness to those who hurt us, sometimes they can’t help but respond with kindness too — because that’s God working on their heart.

When we display the fruits of the Spirit, we reflect what it means to be like Christ.
This week, my character felt like it was under attack — or at least that’s how it seemed. Today, a friend reminded me that it’s really the enemy using something I take honor in against me, because he knows it will weaken my defenses.

And for a few days, it did.

I let the enemy in.

I know my heart, and I know I would never intentionally hurt someone. Yet in this situation, I did hurt someone — in ways I hadn’t allowed myself to see until now. Once they explained their perspective, I could understand how my actions came across and how they were hurt by them.

The thing about emotions is that, because we’re human, we often let them consume us in the heat of a moment. Things get said that shouldn’t be said. We stop considering how the other person feels because we become defensive. The only one who ever handled this perfectly was Jesus — who felt deeply, yet still kept His emotions in check. And even He flipped tables.

It’s hard to walk away and say, “I need a moment,” so you don’t act out of emotion when someone hurts you. It’s hard to hear painful words and still return to a place of love for someone who views you as the enemy. It’s hard to be the one who takes the first step toward peace simply because you know that’s what God is calling you to do.
It’s hard to speak the Word of God — and even harder to live it.

I’ve grown a lot in my walk with Christ, but there are still things from my past that resurface because, as Scripture says, we reap what we sow. I used to get caught up in gossip. I was the person everyone told everything to — and I couldn’t wait to tell someone else. But then conviction came. Since then, I’ve done my best to shut gossip down before it starts. There are still moments I fail, or when temptation creeps in and looks appealing, but God has helped me grow through that.

Even so, people still associate that part of my past with my character. I could do a hundred things right, but if someone accuses me of gossiping — even when I haven’t — it’s easy for others to believe it. Why? Because I reap what I sow.

We can’t change our past, but each day we are washed clean in the blood of Jesus. We have a fresh start every single day. We know who we are in Christ — and that’s the identity we cling to when others question our character.

So how do we do that?

We have to pour into ourselves just as much as we pour into others. We have to invest in our relationship with Christ daily. We have to commit to His will and trust that everything works together for His greater purpose.

For the past few days, I kept saying, “I don’t know how to move forward.” When I told my friend this, she helped me see what I couldn’t — because the devil had placed a stronghold on the situation.

Now, I know what I need to do.

I have to put on the full armor of God and rebuke the enemy in Jesus’ name.

Moving forward in this relationship means choosing to reap what I sow — to sow kindness and love. I pray for the other person, and I pray for myself. I ask God to give us both the wisdom we need to heal, to move forward, and to remember who we are as people — not just the circumstances that hurt us.

I can’t control how the other person will respond, but I can control my own actions and emotions. I can display the fruits of the Spirit and show what it means to be like Christ, even in the uncomfortable moments.

What seeds are you sowing in this season of your life?
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How do you handle it when your character feels misunderstood or under attack?

God never holds our mistakes over us — He redeems them, shaping them into lessons that lead us closer to His purpose. The harvest He’s promised is on its way.