They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Psalm 126:5
This passage has been used to teach that there is joy in the midst of grief or that those who have had a hard life will ultimately find joy in the end. Okay, but I’d like to consider another perspective as well.
This poetic language specifically says sow - that is something we’re doing, not just something happening to us. What would God have us to sow or plant?
Sowing could include spreading the seeds of the gospel, which many have done at great cost. It could mean planting a seed of righteousness, doing the right thing at personal cost. Maybe it is the spiritual and emotional burden of praying for loved ones or the lost, literally through our tears.
Planting the right seeds, with the hard work and earnestness that can even bring us to tears, aligns us with a God who promises joy. Whether a missionary laboring in difficult times or a grandma on her knees for her kids, this psalm brings hope to keep at it for the joy ahead. It is our God who is in charge of the harvest.
I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.' Hosea 10:12
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