I have a dear friend who is gravely ill with a brain tumor. While she fights for her earthly life, she is acutely aware of the majesty of God who brings life out of death. Watching her journey has focused my attention on the splendor of death processes.
Living through dying places is quite the quandary! Jesus talked specifically about it to his disciples a few days before He died on Calvary.
“Truly, truly I say unto you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit! “ John 12:24
When a grain of wheat falls into the ground, it has to be buried in the soil, fertilized, experience the drenching rain and endure blistering heat at times for the outer coating of the seed to fall away and allow growth from seed. When the death process of that seed takes place, a plant grows and produces much wheat! From one grain, many are made….after a death process.
Dying places in our lives are needed to produce spiritual fruit. Just like the kernel of wheat is buried, wet and hot it can be the same for us. Those times when we feel buried by life events or realize we are in a dark place or are getting scorched by the blazing heat of a trial…those are the times God is allowing a process in order to bring forth great fruit from our lives.
The difference between us and wheat is we have a choice. We can fight the process and instead of bearing fruit, bear fear, bitterness, laziness, dishonesty, immaturity, addictions, or a host of other issues. Or we can realize that we are being planted and whatever God decides needs to fall away is going to have to endure the process of being buried to break off and produce fruit.
The next verse in this chapter says, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
This life is good.
Eternal life is even better.
To enjoy both, ENDURE!
LIVE through dying places. Embrace the process that allows character to grow which will be such an asset in this life AND prepare you for the joy and reward of eternity!
Phyllis Johnson
How many times have I fought, like a spoiled child, to keep what I thought was important to me, only to have God pry it from my clenched hands, and place in them something so much better! How grateful I am for the times I have seen Him work in me and through me when I release what He asks.
And beyond my own eternity, I have often thought of the legacy I am leaving to those around me, whether it be strangers that saw my reaction in a store or traffic, or the family that sees my every movement. I hope that when I leave a room, or this earth, when someone thinks of me, God is glorified.