What Are You Harvesting?

It's funny that God would put this topic on my heart today, considering we are going into winter and farmers would not be planting crops right now, but nevertheless He has. So my question today is, what are you harvesting in your life?
Harvesting and planting are clearly two different things. You can't plant one thing and harvest something different. That is why I felt like God wants us to look at what we are harvesting and then look back at what we planted to receive that. And I don't just mean that in a negative way. Yes there are lessons and wisdom to be gained by looking back at our life and seeing where we "planted" the wrong things, and the harvest that came forth because of that. But I believe it is just as important when God is showering us with blessings to look back over the past months/years and see what you have been doing for Him that allowed Him to be able to shower you with those blessings.
A farmer would never expect to plant one crop, but then harvest a completely different crop. He (or she) knows that whatever was sown into the soil is what is going to grows there. And a wise farmer also knows that the abundance of that crop is going to depend on how well the fields were taken care and tended to during that growing season. It would be completely foolish for a farmer to sow seed into the ground and then go on vacation for a few months, thinking they will come back to some amazing harvest. It just doesn't work like that. Those fields need to be taken care of, fed the right nutrients and weeded in order for that harvest to be all it can be. And just like that, we can't sow something into our lives, or the lives of others, and then step back and stop doing what God is calling you to do...the work part.
That old saying of "you reap what you sow" is true, but sometimes it is also an area where we see God apply His grace to our lives. Speaking for myself, I can tell you that ONLY because of God I have not always reaped what I have sown. God's loving grace and mercy has spared me at times from getting what I deserved. And there is not a day that goes by that I don't thank Him for that. But He will only do that at certain times of our life to show us His goodness and get out attention to turn to Him. It is to be appreciated, but not expected. For the most part, what you sow is going to be what you reap, or harvest. And it's sad that so many people just keep harvesting the same kind of "crop" in their life, but never look back to see why...or what they could do differently.
God talks about sowing and harvesting all throughout His word. And one of the things He says very clearly is that we need to sow wisely into our own lives and we need to harvest His fields. And those 2 things go hand in hand. We can not sow worldly things into our lives and then think we can be used in some amazing way by God. The enemy would love for us to think we can, but don't by into that lie. When we sow what the rest of the world sows, then our life, and the troubles we face, look just like everyone else in the world. So how are you going to reach people for God when you are dealing with the same sin, and the same heartache, and the same trouble as the rest of the world? We have to allow God to set us free, we have to walk in that freedom, and then we have to show others what being delivered looks like. It is ONLY when our lives look different than the world that people will want what we have. And then you can and will be used by God to harvest His crops....and advance His kingdom. Be ready to get your hands dirty, as any good farmer would. Be ready to do some work, because sometimes that's what seeing a good harvest takes. But most of all, but ready to feel the peace and joy that come from allow God to help you weed out the things that have been killing your harvest and receiving what He had intended for you all along. When you get to this place with God, then you find just as much joy by sowing into others and watching them grow, as you do when your reaping good things in your own life.
God, thank You for the wisdom found in your word about the things we need to sow into our own lives. Thank You for wanting to use use to harvest your fields to advance Your kingdom too. Holy Spirit guide us in sowing and harvesting good things in our lives so our lives can be an example to others. All through Your strength and all for Your glory! In Jesus name, Amen