Galatians 6:9 Growth While Freezing
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (NIV).
There’s a plant that actually thrives in conditions that would kill most plants, including snow cover and temperatures well below freezing. And this plant is used as a food source, particularly in the baking of various types of breads. This plant that defies nature is called winter wheat. It is planted in the fall and is ready for a spring harvest. It begins growing in the fall and becomes acclimated to the cold as the fall temperatures cool, and it needs even colder temperatures in order to produce seeds in the spring. Some varieties even withstand temperatures lower than ten degrees below zero. As temperatures warm, the plants resume growing, and seeds begin to form. The plant is not harmed by low temperatures and snow. In fact, it does not grow well if the winter is not cold. Winter wheat can even be used as a cover crop to help control weeds. Okay, so what does winter wheat have to do with the life of a Christian?
Many of us experience times when we are not particularly spiritually active, perhaps a period we could call a spiritual malaise. I am not advocating that we lower our spiritual activity on purpose, but it is good to remember that the same God who created winter wheat that thrives in cold times, also created us. I am sure that if He cares enough to create a plant that thrives in the cold, He recognizes that we may experience spiritual lows, and He provides for growth during these times, as if we were gathering strength to burst forth in bloom ready for a harvest after the cooler times end. So be encouraged by the story of winter wheat which brings forth a harvest after enduring cold times. If we are willing, God will quicken the seed within us and bring us out from spiritual darkness into the light of springtime harvest.