The phrase came to me as I listened to an anointed speaker dealing with “how to harvest.” Many of us as believers heard the scripture: “they that sow in tears reap in joy.” (Psalm 126:5). The blog last Sunday, I mentioned if we wait for the conditions to be correct, we will never sow (Ecclesiastes 11:4-5). God revealed to me sowing in tears means when things are chaotic, painful, and hopeless, that is the time to use our faith. We use our faith when we praise God when we usually would feel sad or depressed. We use our faith by encouraging others when we are discouraged. We give to others with financial issues as the Lord leads us where to give when we are in need. The manifestation then comes because we sowed in tears. We can not reap if we are sad; we reap in joy. Trusting God, doing what we know to do in the natural, praying, praising God, and being obedient to His word/being led by God brings joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:1) God brought to my mind people in the bible who sowed in tears and reaped in joy.
Abraham, our spiritual Father, did not grow weak in faith but gave glory to God and reaped in joy a son name Isaac. Read Romans 4, Genesis 18 on their journey, and Genesis 21 when the promised child manifested.
Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Acts 16 when they rebuked an evil spirit in a fortune teller. They were angry because they made money from the woman’s fortune-telling and they were thrown in prison. Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God while being beaten in chains. They praised God, the chains broke, the prison doors opened, and people were saved.
In 1 Samuel 1, Hannah was miserable because she wanted to have children. She was so sad she didn’t eat. She prayed and cried. Her husband Elkanah said, “Oh, Hannah, why are you crying? Why aren’t you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?” When Hannah got a word from the prophet Eli, she held onto it, was glad, she worshiped and conceived with her husband.
In the book of Job, God blessed Job with wealth, a beautiful family, and a hedge of protection around him because Job served God. Job health went, his children died, and his wealth was gone. His friends came to be with him while he was going through and were quiet at first. However, after a few days, they told Job his sin was the reason why he was going through. Job trusted God and said, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him! Job prayed for his friends and got his deliverance. God restored double to him.
Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him Hebrews 12 2-3). Jesus focused on the end result; that is how He was able to go to the cross. He sowed in tears and reaped in joy. Now many are saved, forgiven, healed, and set free.
You want things in your life to stop being bad? Start getting glad!
Prayer: Thank God for sacrificing your Son Jesus so we can live a better life and eternity with God. During challenging and painful times, I will look to the hills for my help because my help comes from the Lord. I sow praise when my heart is heavy. I sow love when evil is done to me. I am not overcome by evil; I overcome evil with good and reap in joy. I repent for allowing situations to get me depressed and losing hope. Thanks be to God, who always causes me to triumph through Him. In Jesus’ name! Amen.