S7 EP2 | The Fruit Doesn’t Lie: Sowing & Reaping in Your Life
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression before - you reap what you sow. But have you actually considered it when looking at your life? Do you struggle in your relationships? Are you often discontent? Do you constantly feel unfilled and at odds with life? There is a chance you are the creator of your own reality based on what you're sowing in your life - the way you spend your time, the mindsets you cling to and more.
Be challenged and encouraged in today’s episode.
Sowing and Reaping in Life:
Reflect on personal growth and life outcomes.
Draw parallels between biblical metaphors of sowing and reaping and our lives.
Understand the impact of sowing in the flesh versus sowing in the spirit.
Sowing in the Flesh vs. Spirit:
Sowing in the flesh leads to destruction and sinful consequences.
Sowing in the spirit yields the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Assessing Your Life's Harvest:
Encouraging self-reflection: What are you currently reaping in your life?
Recognizing that our actions have consequences, whether in relationships, health, or other aspects of life.
Choosing to Sow Differently:
Emphasizing the importance of choice in sowing seeds of forgiveness, joy, grace, and mercy.
Taking responsibility for what you sow in different areas of life, including faith and mental health.
Persistence in Sowing Goodness:
Reminding that persistence in sowing good things will lead to a positive harvest.
Encouraging patience and not losing heart when waiting for the harvest.
Quoting Paul: "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."
Affirming Truth
I will sow in the spirit and reap the goodness of God in my life.
Key scriptures:
Galatians 6:7-9
Job 4:8
Connect With Carla:
Inquire about 1:1 coaching ---> carlaagreswellness@gmail.com
Join In His Image Wellness Collective ---> carlaargeswellness@gmail.com
Come hangout on IG with me @carlaarges
Check out the blog
TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Carla: Hey friends, welcome to Affirming Truths. I'm your friend and host, Carla Arges. This show is a safe place to share our struggles, grow in faith, and root our identity in Christ. My hope is that you will leave each episode feeling encouraged in your journey. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode and it would mean the world to me if you would leave a review.
[00:00:30] Carla: I am so glad you're here. Let's get started. Hey friends, I've missed you. It is Carla here. Welcome to Affirming Truth and the first episode of Drum Roll Season 7. I'm so glad you're here. I have to tell you, I only took a few weeks off in between season six and season seven, but a lot has happened and [00:01:00] it's what's inspiring today's episode.
[00:01:03] Carla: Uh, just last week, my father, Um, discovered that he has colon cancer. It caught us all by surprise. Uh, he was getting a test that had nothing to do with cancer. And just in the process of this other type of exam, they discovered it and we were in shock and it's just been a lot this past week, it has been a lot, but.
[00:01:35] Carla: I was reminded in this circumstance, and I had the opportunity to remind my dad in this circumstance, that God is sovereign. And I think sometimes that when we face hard times, things when it seems like things aren't going our way. When we get a curve ball, when we see our governments and our [00:02:00] politicians and the moral fabric of our society heading in a direction we don't like when tough stuff happens to us and we face disease and illness and loss and, and betrayal and trauma.
[00:02:17] Carla: We can be left feeling hopeless, and maybe that's you, maybe you have got a surprise diagnosis, maybe there's been some betrayal, maybe you're overcoming trauma, and in the process of it, it can feel like, Where is God or God? How could you let this happen? But I'm here to remind you and encourage you that God is not surprised by what you're facing.
[00:02:47] Carla: That God is still sovereign and that God is still good. He is a good, good father. And I love this example of [00:03:00] God's sovereignty in the face of such hard times. We can go to the Old Testament in Genesis and look at the life of Joseph. He was beat by his brothers. He was thrown into a hole. He was sold into slavery.
[00:03:19] Carla: He became a trusted advisor only to be thrown in prison and ended up seated in the palace. See, we have the benefit of seeing the end of the story, how God raised him up from some horrible situations, seated him in a place of authority so that he could Do what God wanted him to do. And that was help preserve the chosen people, the Israelites with his plan in overcoming the famine.
[00:03:54] Carla: But Joseph did not have the luxury of seeing [00:04:00] the end of the story when he was beat and left for dead, when he was sold into slavery. When he was defamed and thrown into prison, that was hard stuff for him. Can you imagine? Talk about a curve ball. Talk about things not going your way. Talk about hopelessness and despair.
[00:04:26] Carla: But what does Joseph say? What you intended for harm, God has used for good. God. His authority spans through time and space and circumstance, and we need to have this grand perspective when life throws us curveballs. We need to have this grand perspective of his sovereignty and his goodness [00:05:00] when life is hard, when we lose the job.
[00:05:04] Carla: When our kids get sick, when we feel that hurt, when we're walking through trauma, in Isaiah 46, 10, it says, my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose. See, the curve ball. that life has thrown at you, doesn't throw God off. He will accomplish all his purpose. And his purpose for you is good.
[00:05:38] Carla: Now, his purpose for you is good to make you like Jesus. That doesn't always feel good at the time because there's refining and God uses our hard times to refine us if we let him. In Psalm 103 19 It says the Lord has established his throne in [00:06:00] the heavens and his kingdom rules over all There's that all word again It's all God's, it's all God's.
[00:06:11] Carla: God formed the foundations of the earth. God has a plan that was put into motion in Genesis 1. God wasn't surprised by Adam and Eve's fall. God wasn't surprised by the rebellion of the Israelites. God wasn't surprised. As a temptation of Jesus, God wasn't surprised at the crucifixion and just like God's not surprised with what's going on with you.
[00:06:42] Carla: He has a plan that he put into motion at the foundation of the earth, which is for your good, for reconciliation with him. You are the created, not the creator. You don't have full vision. You don't have full [00:07:00]vision, but God does, and he is sovereign and he's good. So whatever is happening in your life is not outside of God's control.
[00:07:10] Carla: Now, that may lead you to be, if God is in control, why is this happening? God doesn't send bad things, but he uses them for good. Nothing thwarts his plans. Your life is not being tossed about by the winds. God is sovereign. You know, Job had a lot of these questions with God. Why, God? Why? His children all killed.
[00:07:42] Carla: His business and his livelihood taken away. His physical body ravished with sickness, and yet God said, Who are you to ask me that? Where were you when I created the earth? And Job had a [00:08:00] moment of realization. Yes, God is sovereign. And in Job 42 2 we read, I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
[00:08:10] Carla: There's that word all again, guys. All. Not some. God's not in control of some things. God's not sovereign over some things. God isn't good in only some areas. God is sovereign over all. God is on his throne and ruling and reigning over all. God is good in all circumstances. Even in the New Testament, in him, we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works, what, all things according to the counts of his will.
[00:08:52] Carla: Ephesians 1. 11. God is sovereign in your situation. Do you [00:09:00] trust him? Do you trust him? Do you have faith in him? Do you know his character? This is what trust comes down to, and I know I've said it before, how can you trust someone you don't know? Do you know God intimately? Not just know of him, but do you know him personally?
[00:09:25] Carla: Are you in his word, his chosen method to reveal himself? Are you in his word getting to know his character, so you can trust his sovereignty, so you can trust his goodness, so you can trust his grace, so that you can trust his love? Do you know him? Your affirming truth today is I will rest. In the truth that my good God is sovereign over all.
[00:09:57] Carla: And we look at Philippians 1, 6, [00:10:00] and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion as a day of Jesus Christ, God is still working, God is sovereign and what he started, what he's purposed, what he's planned will come to fruition. You can trust that, you can cling to that, and if you have trouble trusting it, friend, I would encourage you to get to know God on a deeper level.
[00:10:37] Carla: And I know many of you have reached out and said Bible study intimidates me, Bible study overwhelms me, I don't know where to start, I don't understand it. Guys, this is what Bible study 101 is for, and it just so happens that today, registration is open for Bible study [00:11:00] 101. We're going to talk about Bible translations and context and interpretation and application.
[00:11:07] Carla: I'm going to take you through five different Bible study methods. Yes, there's not just one way to study the Bible. We're going to look at things like inductive studying and verse mapping and journaling and character studies. And we're going to break down the perceptions you have of what Bible study is.
[00:11:28] Carla: And that perception that's actually being a stumbling block. And you getting it done. It's a four week course. It is only 47 and it comes with a full context guide of every book in the Bible. It's going to be a fantastic course. It's for beginners to the Bible. Not necessarily beginners to faith, but for beginners to the Bible so that you can leave there confident in getting into the word, confident [00:12:00] in getting to know God better so that you can trust his sovereignty.
[00:12:06] Carla: When bad things happen so you can trust his sovereignty when trials show up guys I have been at peace through my dad's cancer Because I trust God's sovereignty whether my dad makes it through or not I trust God's sovereignty in that because I know God is good That's not to say I won't have grief, if something happens to my dad, of course I will, I'm human.
[00:12:36] Carla: But it will be the human part of me grieving, a human loss. The born again Carla, knowing God's goodness, trusts him with that, and finds peace. So remember, you will rest in the truth, that your good God is sovereign. And that He will bring to completion [00:13:00] that which He started in you, which is good. Friends, I'm so glad to be back with Season 7.
[00:13:10] Carla: I pray that this episode blesses you and encourages you. And make sure to enroll in Bible Study 101. Link is in the description. I'll talk to you next time, guys.
[00:13:28] Carla: Thanks for joining me today. I hope we're already friends on social media, but if we're not, come find me on Instagram at Karla Arges or at Affirming Truth. Can't wait to see you back here next week. Bye friends.