The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Is it possible to plant seeds when you’re going through storms and conditions are less than ideal? There has been several times over the years during planting season, a storm would pop up and I felt led to keep going.
The rain would come down hard and thunder in the distance. Realistically planting into the mud should result in a poor stand or crop. We need to remember that once the seeds are planted, it’s in God’s hands to get them through to harvest, on and off the farm.
I remember when I first started a relationship with God, He met me where I was still stuck in many addictions and struggles. God had made me new in Christ, but I still found my identity in my struggles and past. I didn’t want anyone to know that I’d started walking with God. I was afraid of what people would think or call me a hypocrite. God can plant seeds through us, no matter how long we’ve been walking with Him or where we’re at.
1 Corinthians 3:6 says “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” The devil wants to make us believe that we have to be perfect in order for God to work. This verse is a great reminder to let God plant seeds through you and He’ll take care of the rest.
God doesn’t want us to clean up our lives before we come to Him. He helps set us free from chains that have held us down for so long. Nothing we do but surrender and let the Holy Spirit work.
I’ve been walking with Him since 2012 and He’s still cleaning up my life and helping me out along the way. In the beginning I was striving for perfection. Some things God can change in an instant and other struggles may take years. Often times striving for perfecting will push you away from God, because we’re trying to do it on our strength and not letting God guide us.
I’ve learned that we’ll never be perfect, but we serve a God who is. He see us as perfect though and loves us unconditionally. The devil likes to make us believe that we’re unworthy or we need to be quiet about our faith. All he does is lie, steal and destroy. God can work through anyone or anything to plant seeds to help others and further His kingdom.
Don’t wait until you’re perfect, ask God to work through you right where you’re at. Jesus was the only perfect person to walk this earth. He died on the cross for us because God knew we’d never be able to do it on our own.
I felt led to start sharing my testimony, helping others and spreading the gospel a few years ago, to point people to Christ. It’s nothing that I’ve done, all work of the Holy Spirit. Many times I was still in a cycle of some sort of addiction or having days wondering where God was. You never know how God may work through a simple conversation with someone, even if you’re struggling yourself.
I would be doing well and then life would get hard and make it difficult to breathe. Even though I was walking closely with God and being bold for Him, I’d fall back into my old habits. I’d have days that were hard to get out of bed in the morning, but I still knew how powerful and loving God was. I still have many tough moments and days. But Gods peace and presence still shows up.
That can be a vicious cycle for many of us. Over time He’s set me free from those things and used it all for a greater purpose. His timing is perfect for every little detail. He made me realize that I am human, but He is always there to pick us back up and use it all for the good.
God will use us right where we’re at. Stop living in guilt and shame and give it all to Him. He loves you and has a plan for your life. His love changes everything and that has made such a huge difference this last year and a half. I still go through extremely hard circumstances, but I’ll continue to give Him all of the glory and tell others how good He is.
There’s nothing we can do for God to love us anymore or any less. So if you’re in a storm or hard circumstance right now, don’t quit or beat yourself up. Don’t believe the lie that you have to be fixed, healed or perfect before God can use you.
Some of the most powerful seeds are planted in storms. I’ve actually planted during several storms in the past, on the farm and God produced a beautiful crop come harvest time. The conditions were less than ideal just like we experience in every day life. Seeds can be planted in any conditions even when the harvest may look impossible at the time.
God works through broken people, in tough seasons, to reach other broken people. He can use your obedience, honesty and even struggles to save a life or give someone hope when they’re hanging on by a thread. You don’t have to have all the answers, you just have to say yes. The Holy Spirit will take care of the rest.
2 Corinthians 4:7 says “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
Surrender everything and give Him your pain, past, struggles and always be obedient. Trust that He will use it for His glory and a greater purpose. God isn’t done with you. He will use your story exactly as it is, to plant seeds that outlive you!