You Reap After You Sow

Overflow with Craig Booker

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

“Farmers know that you not only reap what you sow but also reap after you sow.”1

“You plant in one season and then have to wait until another season for the harvest.”1

“The same is true in life. But we so often miss this. That’s why we get discouraged. That’s why we wrongly conclude that small decisions don’t matter. It’s why we’re tempted to quit.”1

We get started doing something:1

-Going to the gym

-Going to marriage counseling

-Eating right

-Saving money by not eating out

After one month, we get discouraged because:1

-We aren’t meeting our goals

-We still fight with our spouse

-We only lost one pound

-We only saved $300

“Remember, getting the life you want will be the result of countless seemingly small decisions, done consistently over time. They will feel insignificant, but with every action, you are choosing a direction.”1

“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 6:9

“When your marriage or health or finances or spiritual impact are struggling, you think, It’s bad, and it will never be better. You grow weary of trying to make things better. You tried to change, but it didn’t work. And that confirmed your belief that you are pathetic and will always be stuck. Those. Are. Lies.”1

“Your hard work, your discipline, your sacrifices, and your faithfulness are never wasted. Your efforts are just being stored up.”1

James Clear calls the waiting between sowing and reaping the “Plateau of Latent Potential” or the “Valley of Disappointment.”1, 52

“In the Valley of Disappointment, we feel like all of our trying has been worthless No. “This work was not wasted?” Clear writes, “It was simply being stored.”1, 53

One day you wake up and:1

-Your marriage is better than ever

-You’re leading a Bible study

-Your skinny jeans fit again

-You are debt free

“They didn’t see you getting up early. Working out. Praying. Fasting. Going to your support group. Saying no when you wanted to say yes. Training. Confessing. Sweating. Holding your tongue. Writing encouraging notes. Putting your phone down. Getting counseling.”1

Don’t give up:1

• Believing
• Praying
• Sharing your faith
• Fighting to stay pure
• Getting up early
• Saying “I love you”
• Asking
• Walking forward
• . Having faith that God will free you from addiction
• Studying
• Forgiving
• Climbing out of debt
• Sacrificing
• Choosing what you want most over what you want now

“You won’t see the results you want today. Be patient. You’ve planted the right seeds. The harvest will come.”

“It won’t be because you had the best intentions or high hopes but because your actions determined your direction.”1

Exercise1

Where have you given up and need God’s help to get started again?

Where are you struggling and being tempted to give up and need God’s help to endure?

Where are you experiencing a harvest and reaping more than you have sown?

Principle

You will reap a harvest if you don’t give up.

“They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

Psalm 1:3 NLT

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Sources:

[1] Groeschel, C. (2023). The Power to Change: Mastering the Habits That Matter Most. Zondervan.

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