Do you have a desire to help the needy or a passion to teach youth? Maybe you have a gift that the Lord has blessed you with but you are not sure how to use it. God plants within us seeds that grow into gifts, talents, and accomplishments throughout different times in our lives. What has God planted in you?
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. ~1 Corinthians 3:7-8
God plants those desires within your heart and God grows that seed, but you will also have people who come into your life that will water the seed. Some will be there to speak words of encouragement and others will be shining the light of Jesus with their actions and testimonies.
The Flowerpot
The first thing we need if we are going to plant seeds is a flowerpot. It doesn’t matter what shape it is or what color it is, or even how big it is. What we put inside is really what matters. The pot just has to be willing to hold what is placed inside of it. You are the flowerpot.
The Soil
The next thing you need is some good soil. In the parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 13 we know that some seed fell on the path and the birds ate it, some fell on rocky places where there was not much soil-it sprang up quickly but they withered because there was not much roots, and other seeds fell among thorns which choked the plants out, and still others fell on good soil where it produced a crop.
From this parable we know we need good soil for the seed to grow and for it to withstand the heat it, needs to be rooted in that good soil. So if you are the flowerpot, what type of soil are you putting inside? Are you filling it with worldly rocks – or godly soil? You can have a conversation with someone for about five minutes and know what kind of soil they have in their life. You can tell by whether they speak positive words or negative ones. Are you filling your life with good influences or are you being pulled down by those around you?
It is a known fact that you will become like the 5 people you hang around the most. Think about those five people in your life right now… is that what you want to become? If not, you may want to rethink how you spend your time. You may need to replace some time with some positive influences. Have lunch with a friend, visit with a positive family member, or attend fellowship events at your church. All of these are good ways to start adding some good nutrients into your soil.
We have spent alot of time talking about the soil but a farmer will tell you that preparing the ground is the hardest part of farming. It takes alot of work and can cause some blisters and bruises along the way. You may have some battle scars but that is okay.
The Seed
Now, what we have all been waiting for…the sowing of the seed. We know that seeds have to be planted in order to grow but how deep depends on what kind of seed it is. Some types of seeds need a light sprinkle of dirt on top. Others get shoved down deep and packed in. Some of the seeds God places in us are easy to grow and don’t need a lot of soil. Others spend a lot of time in darkness before they ever begin to see the light.
The Roots
This next part is probably the hardest part of the whole process, we have to wait. We know the seed is in there and we know it needs attention, but we can no longer see it. It needs water and sunlight, but we have to be careful. If we give it to much water it will drown but if we don’t give it enough it will never germinate. But underneath the surface, where no one can see, some roots are starting to grow. It took a little time for the seed to be softened up enough for it to break through, but it is getting stronger each day. The roots are filling with the nutrients that God has provided for it and just when you think it will never happen, a tiny tender shoot will emerge from the ground.
The Growing
God has planted many different seeds within us and they will sprout up at different times on our lives. Some will be so easy to see and take care of and you will see the reward quickly. Others, you will wonder if they are even still there and you may wonder if you buried them to deep or watered to much – maybe they will never come to light. Then all of a sudden they will break forth and be stronger than you imagined.
Several years ago archaeologists found a wheat seed in a pyramid. The seed was thousands of years old dating to around 2500 BC. When planted in fertile sol, the 4500-year-old wheat seed sprouted and grew!
We all have been given so much more that we know what to do with, and unfortunately, much of what we have remains locked up in silos because we don’t know what to do with it. It lies there dormant and asleep producing no fruit.
Everything you go through prepares you and helps you minister to others. Your process may be painful, hurtful, and even ugly but God can use you to reach others who are struggling. The enemy wants to keep us so busy that we don’t notice the individuals that are around us. The pain you have experienced is a direct plan of how you can reach out to others.
The enemy thought he buried you…but he just Planted you!
Remember God has planted many seeds inside of you and they will come forth at different times in your life. If you are still breathing o this earth, God is not finished with you and he has a great plan for your life.