Harvest

Lately I've been thinking more and more about what I am talking about.  With each circumstance in my life I am starting to examine just how much I am talking about it.  I am learning that this is NOT by my doing alone, but rather through HIS HOLY SPIRIT leading me, teaching me, and guiding me through every single step of the circumstances in my life.  I knowing this you would think that I would know how to plant seeds, grow seeds, and harvest seeds of positive, encouraging, life-building words.  Well at least I would "think."

HIS Daily Teachings today is showing me that the reason I struggle to plant, grow, harvest positive seeds of words in my life, is because I am way too emotionally invested, and wrapped up, in my "feelings."  This is hard for me to hear, as I know I am hard-wired with emotions, and to just be able to turn those emotions off seems like a daunting task.  

For as long as I can remember I have been an extremely emotional being.  Growing up I was always looking for approval and acceptance.  So much in fact that I planted, grew, and harvested lies of which I told myself and others to make my reality much better than it actually was.  I remember being in grade-school and wanting so desperately to fit in, and I told some of my new girlfriends my story, however, what I didn't tell them was my real story, the nightmare that I was currently living in.  I also remember telling them out of a desperate attempt and need to fit in.  Without realizing it, I began to plant, grow, and harvest my own rejection, my own sadness, and without even realizing it threw myself into an even deeper pit of despair.

HE is telling me that HE gives me this reminder so that I will be able to understand that when I speak of the negativity in my life, NOT only am I planting it, I'm growing it, and then I unknowingly harvest it in my life. HE is telling me that before long, all I will be able to see in my life is the negative things, and I will miss out on the positive things that are waiting to be planted, grown, and harvested in my life.

This morning HE is taking me through my marriage to D. D and I have been together 19 years now, and two weeks from now we will be celebrating the day that we first said "I love you."  For the longest time I have let the negativity of my harvest overrun our marriage.  D is naturally an optimist, a logical, rational optimist, where as I am a short-fused, irrational, reckless pessimist.  I remember early in our marriage how much of my sadness casted a shadow of hopelessness on our marriage.  Throughout the years, without even realizing it, I have planted, grown, and harvested and enormous amount of our marital problems.  

HE is telling me that that HE isn't showing this to me to make me feel bad, but rather to feel that there is still HOPE for me, as I have been blessed with this amazing logical, rational, optimist man who is my husband. HE is wanting me to know that HE made us opposite so that we would learn and grow from each other.  HE is wanting me to know that it is important that we both reap a harvest of balance in our marriage, and that is the very reason why HE made us both opposite of each other.

This reminds me of words spoken by D a few weeks ago.  I remember it was after a rough few days of fighting over my anger, which had left me feeling so incredibly inadequate to be his wife, and the more I thought about it, being Mama to our amazing five children.  I remember crying so hard, and D grabbing my hand and said, "the reason that we are still married, is that because we make a great team.  It's just me and you, and you don't have to worry about all the negative things being said about you.  GOD made sure of it!  HE knew WHO you would be, and HE knew WHO I would be.  We balance each other out, say what you want about us not being right for each other, I  BELIEVE that we couldn't be MORE right for each other."  

HE is telling me that the reason HE is taking me through that memory is because D's words were the words that were planted, grown, and finally harvested by D, ALL designed by HIM to speak the life back into our marriage.  Lately the words that D has harvested have ALL been focused on that, and until this morning I have failed to realize were all apart of HIS plan, to show me me what harvest not only looks like, but what it does for my life.  

"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life." John 6:63

Once again HE is reminding me that my life was written on purpose through HIS purpose, designed to teach, lead, and guide me how to plant, grow, and harvest words just like HE once spoke, is speaking, and will continue to speak.  HE is telling me that this is the very reason WHY HE taught me the concept of "LORD I need you, to teach, lead, and guide, me through every single moment of my journey towards wholeness with you."  HE is teaching me that the harvest HE wants me to reap is one that I will be able to achieve when I choose to speak life-building words of encouragement, hope, love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and faithfulness. 

These words by Joyce Meyer really speak straight to my heart this morning:  "Words can make us angry, or they can calm us down;  therefore, they must have power."  

HE is wanting me to know that I must choose to T.H.I.N.K. about what I am saying before I actually say it. I must really know and understand that when someone chooses to say negative things to me, or about me, while I don't have any control over what they are saying, I do however, have the self-control that I need to remain positive, and NOT get trapped by the negativity that threatens HIS peace that HE has blessed me with.  In knowing this, I know that I must choose to respond in a want that plants, grows, and eventually harvests words that are encouraging, life-building, that are filled with HIS hope.  

HE is wanting me to know that this is the very reason why I am learning that my hott mess of a life, is HIS beautiful message.  HE is telling me that I could have very easily remained a bitter, angry, hot mess, but instead I chose to speak HIS truth, to seek HIM, to teach, lead, and guide me through every single of my life.  I know that the reason I am able to make this decision is because HE has proven to me time and again HIS faithfulness to me, and it has been through HIS Daily Teachings that HE has revealed the harvest that HE wants for my life. 

HE is teaching me that I am able to harvest positive things in my life, when I choose to speak HIS truth, HIS words, and seek HIM to teach, lead, and guide me to live my life according to HIS will.   I am learning that this means that I must reinvest my emotions into being lead by HIS HOLY SPIRIT, so that my "feelings" won't get in the way of being able to harvest words of HIS truth.

HE is wanting me to know that today is a new day, and its the day that I must choose to speak of HIS provision and how HE has, is, and will sustain my health, and my families health.  HE is telling me that I must choose to speak boldly through the gift of HIS true confidence of HIS forgiveness, and my story, of how HIS amazing grace set me free, and taught me how to forgive the people who have hurt me in the way that HE has, is, and will continue to forgive me.

HE is telling me that it is important that I choose to plant, grow, and harvest words in my life that speak of HIS goodness of how truly great HE is ALL of the time.  HE is telling me that I must choose to PRAISE HIM  that through the storms of my life I have been blessed by HIS mercy, and HIS grace, and that will always be there for me, and I know that they are because of HIS faithfulness to me.

 HE is wanting me to know that I must choose to wake up each day knowing, and BELIEVING that I will reap what I sow, therefore I must choose to plant, grow, and harvest, words that will be positive, encouraging, and life-building NOT only for my life, but for all of the lives of whom I encounter.

"With a few kind words, you can change a person's life."  Joyce Meyer "Change Your Words, Change Your Life"

"GOD puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way."  Joyce Meyer "Change Your Words, Change Your Life"

Dear Friends, I know that GOD has placed me in each of your lives by writing my story, of my daily walks with HIM.  It has been through my daily struggles, that I now that HE is allowing me to plant, grow, and harvest words that breathe life, and give hope that HE is there, and that HE cares deeply for you and for me.  I pray today that you will have the courage to seek HIM to show you what type of harvest you are sowing in your life.  I pray that you will seek HIM to create in you a heart of compassion and love one of which will allow you to see things as HE sees them, and to know that you don't have to worry about the people who have hurt you, that HE has it all worked out for your own good.  I pray that you will know that your life has been written on purpose, through HIS purpose so that you to will be able to do your part in bringing HIS kingdom of HEAVEN here to Earth.

Blessings,
Heather