Staying in Spiritual Rhythm: The Fulfillment of Fall (Part 2 of 5) 

Friday, December 9, 2011

“A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:7a-9

Fall is many things to many different people. For some, it marks the beginning of the school year and a time of new beginnings. Others see it as the end of summer and something to be lamented because winter is on its way. Football fans rejoice in the fact that another sports season with their team is on its way. While others view the autumn season as a time for storage and preparing for the holidays. These events mark the season of fall.  But what about the spiritual season of fall?

Fall is a season of change. The leaves change color. Students in school change grades, classes, and teachers. The weather changes cool, windy, and with less daylight. Likewise, fall spiritually is a time to embrace change, turn over a new leaf (pun intended), and begin anew. Just as a farmer stores up his crops, fall is a time to store up our treasures and benefit from our labor. It’s a time to reap what you sow and store up what we reap. Fall’s heart lies in the act of expectancy. Depending on what you’ve reaped it can be a season of disappointment and dread or of hope. A time when all our hard work and discipline is rewarded: “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrews 12:11) Lastly, fall is a time of fulfillment. It’s a time for harvest. To give thanks and acknowledge your blessings. Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors that form the season of fall.

Change is not something we embrace with open arms most of the time. We like what’s comfortable, what is, and knowing what to expect. Change catches us off guard and demands something new; something different form us than before. The season of autumn, then, is often unwanted and neglected  because of the fear of the unknown. When we enter the fall season of the soul, it’s a time to recognize and trust in God’s provision. It’s a choice between faith or fear. Perhaps the change is daunting such as a new job, entering high school, moving to a big city, or beginning marriage.  While other changes can be quite small on the surface such as the start a new project, developing a new Godly habit, or changing your diet.  Whatever it may be, the call of action is the same–trust in God. That He is enough and He will always be there every step of the way. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3) God will give you peace that passes all understanding, even amidst the difficult and heartbreaking changes.  This is our promise and what we need to remember in fall.

“You sow what you reap.” This is an often used term in farming, in life, and reference to the spiritual life.  But what does it mean? We read in Galatians 6:7a-9: “A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  We need to be careful on what we sow. Everyone sows a seed of something.  It’s either sowing a seed to please our sinful nature or to please the Spirit. It’s not possible to do both. To sow a seed of sinful nature is to treat lust as a flower not a weed. Vent anger inside instead of controlling it. Indulging in a bad habit and not addressing it. To sow a seed that is pleasing to the Spirit is to implant daily habits of patience. Choosing to forgive others when they have wronged us. Giving love away freely. Spreading kindness in the midst of conflict. We all have a choice to make each day on what will we sow.  There’s also another principle to keep in mind: How much you sow.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:6) Not only does it matter what we sow, but how much we sow of something. Fall is a season of fulfillment, but it order to experience the joy of that fulfillment there to have an abundance of what we have sowed.  Heart follows treasure and passion tails commitment. First the gift; then the desire. This is why we often have a hard time giving way of time, talents, and treasures is because our heart isn’t in it. Sometimes it seems wasteful and useless. It’s time to decide what’s important in your life and stick with it. And let go of what’s weighing you down. But at the end of day–sow something. Make it a good seed, no less, but even if it’s sparingly, get on with it.

Fall is a season of harvests. There are three identified in the Bible: A harvest of souls, a harvest of prosperity, and a harvest of righteousness. In John 4:35b-38 we read about the harvest of souls:

“I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now those who reap draw their wages, even now they harvest the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

There are three key principles to take note of here. First, look and pay attention. Slow down and see your surroundings. To the hurting, the needy, the hungry, those in need to hope. Those who sit next to you at church, in our neighborhood, the co-worker who eats lunch with you–people all around you are empty and in desperate need to be filled. Open your eyes and choose to respond.

Next, pray. Pray for workers willing to join Christ in His kingdom work. Pray that you don’t miss any opportunities God gives you. That the time you’ve been given isn’t squandered. Essentially,  praying makes it our problem. It requires us to seize the moment. It forces us to take care about what we are shown.

Lastly, go. Answer your own prayer. The key phrase is “even now.” Even now you could reap what you haven’t sown. There is still time. Even now you can taste the unearned privilege of what others before you have already reaped the benefits of. Look. Pray. Go. You’ll be amazed at what God does when you simply say yes to his call to action.

The second harvest is that of prosperity. “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11) This is not a health and wealth Gospel being proclaimed by Paul. The simple message here is that generosity is good for the soul. As Mark Buchanan states: “The harvest the generous reap is a harvest of grace, good works, and righteousness. Generosity makes us more like Jesus.” Generosity with material things creates an abundance in spiritual things and vice versa. Each one reinforces the other. Simply put–be generous. Be extravagant in your giving. You’ll reap what you sow and store up what you reap. Because true prosperity is measured in how much you give, not how much you have.

The final harvest is righteousness. What is righteousness? To be like Christ. Your thoughts are His thoughts. Your attitude is His attitude. Your actions reflect His actions. And your character is conformed more and more like His. In order for this harvest to take place, the other two need to tied together along with it. A heart to save and grow is required before a heart like His can develop. In this time we also need to submit to God’s discipline and seek His peace. Practicing these three harvests in the spiritual season of fall will create a bountiful feast of thanksgiving.

The fourth Thursday of every  November in the fall we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. It is a time to give thanks and feast on the blessings God has given. Likewise, in the spiritual season of fall we need to take a step back and give thanks. Recognizing the simple things that we often overlook. It’s all about expression. Thanksgiving is an expression of enjoyment. C. S. Lewis writes: “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is it’s consummation.” Unspoken praise is not praise at all. Fall is a time of worship and praise. To thank God even for the things that have yet to come–in expectance of His promises. His faithfulness to us despite our unfaithfulness to Him. And when we do this, we are find ourselves full. Fully immersed in His grace. The feast is ours for the taking!

When fall makes its way into your life; embrace it. Do not fear the unknown and the toils of winter that are waiting on your doorstep. Sow the seed and make sure it is pleasing to the Spirit. Sow generously and often.  Be generous and remember it’s not how much you have, but how much you give. Take part in the harvests of saving, growing, and developing. Take stock of your inventory. Your physical blessings and of the Spirit—and give thanks. Celebrate and express the enjoyment of the feast you’ve been given. Experience the joy of fulfillment. Live in expectancy of what’s to come. And contentment and peace will follow. It’s time to reap the reward.

Radiant Reflection: This week we learned about the fall season of the soul. Answer these questions to help you apply the practices and principles we just covered:

1) What does the fall season mean to you? Do you come to look forward to the fall season? Why or why not?

2) What are the factors that make up the fall season of the soul? How do they mirror that of the fall season we encounter of our calendars?

3)What does it mean to reap what you sow? Why does the heart play such important part of what and how much we sow?

4) What are some of the things you are sowing right now? Do you sow generously or sparingly of these things?  Why do you believe this to be the case?

5) Name some of the simple blessings God has given you that you often overlook. Express your thanks back to God. Express your enjoyment and find joy in fulfillment.

Can You Hear Me Now?: As I stated last week, we’ll be taking a break from challenges for this series. Again, make sure to answer the Radiant Reflection questions to help you retain and apply the material we just went over.  To get the entire picture of the spiritual seasons of the soul; pick and purchase the book, Spiritual Rhythm from Mark Buchanan. There is a lot of material we didn’t cover here for the season of fall due to time constraints.

Future Features: We are entering the stretch run of the Christmas holiday season and a lot of different loose ends will be completed soon. First, the case study for Toy Story in Shout Out to the Silver Screen is wrapping up. Check out the 2nd Real of the Reel blog and stay tuned for the final three entries over the next few weeks. Also check out the Truth’s Transformation and SPECIAL ministries for new entries over the next week or so. For this series on Seasons of the Soul, we’ll next look at the season of Winter. We’ll conclude the series with Spring and Summer both in the week of December 19. Have a blessed weekend!

Sources:

Mark Buchanan, Spiritual Rhythm, Zondervan. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2010. Pages 150-153, 157-159, 161-164, 167, 175, 178-179