I have been wanting to write a piece about consequences for a while. Probably because I am dealing with so many consequences right now; both  for things I have done as well as others have done involving me. I did this word study in December 2021. I have yet to fully wrap my head around consequences in the Biblical sense, but I have a starting point. 

You reap what you sow. The word consequence isn’t found in the Bible in most versions. Yet, this phrase we hear a lot has multiple scriptures that back it up. Consequence has a negative connotation to it but not all consequences are negative. The English Dictionary defines consequence as, a result or effect of an action or condition. Another way you could say “you reap what you sow” is “actions produce consequences.”

Let’s look at Galatians 6:7-8 in The Message.

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. 

The Greek word translated to reap here is, therizō. Meaning to reap, to harvest. The root word of therizō is theros, meaning to heat and summer. Another word for reap is harvest, most harvesting of crops happens in the summer. There is a cycle for harvesting in the natural just like there is in the spiritual. You plant seeds… grow plants… harvest… seeds… repeat. Spiritually speaking… you walk with God… be obedient… grow in an area… reap… repeat. 

Everyone can get behind positive consequences, but what about these negative ones? In Galatians 6:7-8 it says that if you plant selfishness, you will harvest weeds. Weeds are definitely negative. Negative consequences come when you ignore God. When you are selfish and think only about yourself and not about others. Negative consequences come when we hear what God is telling us to do, yet we do not do what He has instructed. Now, God isn’t a task master but there is a god of this world and you better believe the enemy will take full advantage of these moments of disobedience. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. If the Holy Ghost is directing you, you better believe He is directing you away from the enemy. If you don’t listen then you are headed in the direction of the enemy, and with that comes consequences. 

But, let’s go back to Galatians 6:7-8. If you plant in response to God, listening and working with the Holy Spirit, you will harvest eternal life! Each of my pieces leads back to one thing, the Word of God. To respond to the Holy Spirit, to listen and work with Him, you have to know His voice. The only way you will get to know His voice is by reading the Word of God and developing a prayer relationship with God. I encourage you to find a method that works for you, but develop a habit of reading the Word of God every day. You don’t have to read the whole thing in one day, but start somewhere. One scripture. Pick up your Bible and read Galatians 6:7-8 out of your own Bible. Perhaps read the whole chapter. Just start and don’t stop. It will save you so many negative consequences and bring you positive ones!

Posted 5/1/2022