Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Sowing and Reaping
“‘I have made no trouble for Israel,’ Elijah replied. ‘You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead.’” (1 Kings 18:18 NLT)
In yesterday’s devotion, we talked about the impossibility of knowing what lies ahead and the importance of trusting an unknown future to a known God. But there’s an important exception to the Bible’s warnings about not knowing what the future holds. In fact, in a general sense, some things are quite predictable.
The apostle Paul explained it this way: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7-8 NKJV).
This message of reaping what you sow was at the heart of the prophet Elijah’s warning to the evil King Ahab. Elijah had declared, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!” (1 Kings 17:1 nlt).
When Elijah encountered Ahab again, the king asked, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17 nlt). But Elijah answered, “I have made no trouble for Israel . . . You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead” (verse 18 nlt). In other words, Elijah was saying, “You brought this on yourself, King Ahab, because you turned to false gods.”
It’s always amazing to me how people will break God’s commands over and over again, resist His loving warnings, and then blame Him when hardship hits, often because of their own actions. They demand to know, “Why did God let this happen to me? Why did God do this?”
I’m not suggesting that this is always the case when bad things happen. But often there is cause and effect. When we do wrong things, we reap the consequences. There’s no need to scratch our heads and wonder why. And there’s certainly no need to blame God when we reap the bad things we’ve sown.
A better option is to embrace the notion of reaping what we sow by sowing good things. Paul put it this way: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10 nlt).
What kind of spiritual crop will you harvest?
Reflection question: What are you sowing now that you will one day reap?
Copyright © 2026 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit: SparrowStock
Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
Some Christians think Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and sharing their faith are things they eventually move beyond. The truth is just the opposite. In What Every Growing Christian Needs to Know, Pastor Greg Laurie explores the foundational practices that help believers grow spiritually and stay strong in their faith. Whether you're a new believer or have followed Christ for decades, this practical guide will help you focus on the things that matter most. Request your copy this month with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
Was this resource helpful? Add Christianity.com as a trusted source for Biblical content.
