“There are two different kinds of ground: fallow ground, and ground that has been broken up by the plow. The fallow ground lies protected from the shears of the plow, safe and undisturbed, it sprawls lazily in the sunshine, the picture of sleepy contentment. But it is paying a terrible price for its tranquility: Never does it see the miracle of growth. In direct opposition is the cultivated field, the plowed field. The cultivated field has been upset, turned over, bruised, and broken, but its rewards come hard upon its labors…all over the field the hand of God is at work in the age old and ever renewed service of creation.”
-from A.W. Tozer’s Paths to Power
Where there are two types of soil, there are also two types of people. Most of us live the fallow life. For the most part it is not even intentional. We grow up learning and assigning priorities to areas of life. That’s just what people do. But to cultivate a life that is rich with growth and prosperity, well that is a truly unique thing. It certainly goes against our culture and instinct. That is the kind of life God wants you and I to have.
I have mentioned in the past how funny I think it is the way God can speak to me sometimes. I have spent so many years listening to and encountering God in a type of haze. It was there, but foggy and unclear. I feel like now I find and hear Him in (virtually) everything I do and encounter. Take my last blog for example. There are things mentioned from my own thoughts, conversations I have had, facebook statuses, and books I am reading. Then, go figure, the exact decision I had made to take the next few weeks and try to pursue God in my personal time fits perfectly into the study we are doing and a perfect way to challenge my group spiritually this week.
I find no coincidence in the fact that God keeps bombarding me with the same things. He is teaching me how to have a relationship with Him and learn to create new habits to replace old ones. And on top of that, giving me the opportunity to learn to help teach others to learn this. There’s a reason every member of my small group of twentysomethngs is going through a major life change or being put through a period of suffering that will result in a major change. We are walking on the path and have hit a crossroad. It’s getting time to pick one road and if it’s the right one, get ready to change forever.
What happens when we realize we are ready for this change? Well I think mostly God says get to know Him. You may be asking “huh? That’s it? What about some big decision to prove my faith? What about a visible, tangible thing so I can see my progress?” They asked the same kind of questions in John 6:28-29. They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” You may be thinking, “that’s it? No problem.” Well I can tell you, this may be the hardest thing He ever asks of you. It kinda makes sense He wants us to learn this first. We are gonna need it!
“We have to believe that God has a purpose to all that happens and it is for His good. Otherwise everything that happens here means nothing.” Wise words from my beautiful mom days ago when I called her crying. I have been mentioning how much easier things have been getting for me (easier, but far from easy), I’m kinda moving into some of the acceptance faze. But, even so, I became consumed with thoughts of despair and weariness. This is going to continue throughout parts of my life, there’s no getting around it. But having a firm and unmoving heart knowledge of Christ’s intentions and abilities will be the one thing that determines how you survive those moments. If you don’t build that firm foundation, you are going to crumble.
I have been kind of feeling like I am running out of things to talk about, like I’m just in repetition mode. But maybe that’s because repetition is necessary to cultivate change and growth. So, today I urge you to continue what I recommended yesterday rather than start anew. We need some repetition.
Have you decided to try to give some spiritual growth a try?
Do you notice any changes in yourself?
Keep with it!
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