Flourish: Living a Fruitful Lifeਨਮੂਨਾ

DAY 2 / The Plough – Loosen Up and Change!

Can you believe God told a man to marry a prostitute? Come again?! Yep, this is the story in Hosea, and it serves as a reminder of God’s unfailing and deep desire for intimacy with us, despite our tendency to seek validation and satisfaction in other places. As God is calling Israel to repentance, a restored relationship with Him, and fruitfulness in the land He had given them, He says in Hosea 10:12:

“Sow righteousness for yourselves,

reap the fruit of unfailing love,

and break up your unploughed ground;

for it is time to seek the Lord,

until He comes

and showers His righteousness on you.”

After allowing their land to fallow (rest and not produce crops for a season), farmers will then “plough” the soil to prepare it for new seeds to be planted. Using a tool called a plough, farmers will turn over and break up the soil. This process introduces fresh air, improves drainage and nutrient absorption, reduces weeds, incorporates nutrient residue from previous crops, and makes the soil more fertile.

Sometimes, as we sink into the routines of our everyday lives, we can develop mindsets, rhythms, or relationships that become hardened. We may even see weeds crop up – pesky little habits that we never intended to plant but have taken root and will quickly multiply if we don’t address them.

As beneficial as ploughing is, it’s not a gentle process – but it is necessary to restore fruitfulness. Likewise, sometimes we need to allow God to turn over and break up areas in our lives to make room for new growth (or, as Paul says in Romans, to be transformed by the renewing of our minds). This change can be uncomfortable, but without it, we stay stuck.

As Christians, one of the main tools that God uses to plough the soil of our hearts and prepare us for new growth is the Bible. When the Israelites were transitioning from the wilderness into the promised land, God said they would flourish by obeying His commands in the Book of the Law (Joshua 1:8). As we spend time in His Word, we gain new perspective, become aware of crippling mindsets, and are equipped with everything we need for healthy growth.

Flourishing requires us to loosen our grip and embrace change, allowing the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit to prepare us for the fruitfulness that He longs to bring in our next season.

Reflection:

In what part of your life is God asking you to loosen your grip and allow Him to bring change? Will you let Him plough that ground of your life and prepare it for healthy growth?