Predict the Future by Being Aware of the Present

Good word here from Stephen Altrogge:

The biblical reality is (and I realize that this sounds very Law of Attraction-ish) that we are creating the future right now. In other words, the actions and deeds that we do today will have a very real effect upon us in the future. If I sow to the Spirit today, I will reap life from the Spirit in the future. If I sow to the flesh today, I will surely reap corruption in the future. It’s straightforward, profound, and an incredible truth to know.

Spiritual coldness isn’t the result of a single life-changing event. It’s the cumulative result of a thousand small, seemingly insignificant choices, like neglecting prayer, shunning fellowship, and ignoring the word of God. True spiritual fire isn’t the result of one, over the top, mountaintop, spiritual high experience. It’s the beautiful accumulation of consistent time invested in the spiritual disciplines. Our spiritual lives are the result of many small actions piled on top of each other.

My dad is a wonderful example of this truth. He’s not an overly emotional, hug another neck next to you, kind of guy. He doesn’t typically collapse into a great sobbing mess during his sermons. He’s steady as she goes. But, over the last thirty years he has been faithful to spend time reading God’s word, praying, memorizing scripture, and fellowshipping with other believers. The result is that he is a fruitful fireball for Jesus. A low key fireball, but a fireball nonetheless.

The same is true in just about every other area of life. When folks are struggling in their marriage it’s not usually because of one, massive, knockdown fight. It’s because of a thousand tiny choices that have accumulated over the years. When someone falls into adultery it’s not usually a spur of the moment, “I can’t believe I did that!”, mistake. It’s the sum of seemingly innocuous conversations, text messages, and Facebook posts that slowly build inappropriate intimacy.

We don’t live in a vacuum. The choices we make today for the glory of God will result in ever increasing life. The choices that we make according to the flesh will eventually result in corruption. It’s not that complicated. We have a new baby in the house, which has made doing devotions a lot more difficult. When I read this passage, however, I was freshly reminded of my need to continue “sowing” to the Spirit by spending time in the word and in prayer, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day.

What are we sowing to today? What are we sowing to in regards to our marriage, children, and workplace relationships? What are we sowing to in regards to purity, humility, and thankfulness? By God’s grace, let’s sow to the Spirit today so that we can reap tomorrow.

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