There are a lot of things we can live for in this life. We can live for our family, or we can live for our work. As a Christian, we have to choose if we are going to live to please the flesh or please the Holy Spirit. Living to please the Holy Spirit means that we deny our flesh and we are living according to the principles laid out in God’s Word. Trying to live with both will only produce frustration in our lives. What are you living for today?
Galatians 6:8
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Sowing Good Seed
Paul loves to use the metaphor of sowing and reaping. Here he focuses on what we are sowing. If we sow the wrong things, we will reap destruction. For instance, too much focus on our happiness leads to sadness. It is a void that cannot be filled and only gets deeper. Too much of a good thing leads to gluttony. Jesus said to follow him we must deny ourselves and pick up our cross. There has to be a point where we stop focusing on ourselves and turn our focus on to things of God.
Spirit Led
Paul tells us to sow to please the Spirit. What does that mean? In chapter 5 he tells us to walk by the Spirit and not the flesh. So we need to be full of the Holy Spirit and then obey His leading. The seeds sowed by the Spirit are love, joy, peace, etc. They grow into fruit that is manifest into our lives. Are these evident in your life? How do you know? Ask yourself a few questions. “What do I think about all the time?” Is it about you? If all you do is think about yourself, then it is highly likely that you are sowing to the flesh. If your thoughts are focused on helping others and being a blessing, then it is likely that you are sowing to the Spirit. Living to please the Holy Spirit leads to a harvest brings eternal life.
