December 23

We have talked a lot about finances and planting seeds through giving, generosity, hard work and so on in the past month. We all want to reap a good harvest of good things – right? We want a material harvest so that we would be supplied for and beyond that, we want to be a supplying part of God’s arm to others who are in need. There is more to be harvested than that, and those things are more important! We want a harvest of eternal riches – of peace, righteousness and joy in the Holy Spirit! As much as we would like to believe that all we have to do is believe, that isn’t right, we have to obey. That means we have to submit, even when we go through tough times.

Psalm 34:19 (NIV84) — 19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;

One of the tough things that we MUST do to get what we ultimately want and need for this life is to be put under discipline. Sometimes we spend our time running from His discipline, which is fruitless. Going through hard times are not to always be avoided. In training my body, I put it through difficulty! I am about to go to the gym right now and for 45 minutes to an hour, I will push it to its breaking point, lifting weight until I can no longer lift. I will reap a harvest physically for it and that is what I want.

Hebrews 12:11 (NIV84) — 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

You can go through discipline and not be trained by it and have it produce NOTHING! The word for trained (gumnadzo) means vigorous training and control, so if you don’t go through it controlled or put yourself under its control, you will not reap (literally, give back to you, like an exchange). So lean into the discipline, enduring it like a professional athlete or soldier and reap a great harvest!