Seed

Dear Readers,

I was watching Joel Osteen the other day, and he gave a sermon that got me thinking. He compared us, not the word of God like Alma does in Alma chapter 32 of the Book of Mormon, to the seed being planted.

In Joel's comparison, we are a seed, in our shell. If we stay where we are, on the surface, we do not progress. I would like to explore this more in depth. Being on the surface, we are exposed, driven with the wind, or our to-do-list, without any real meaning or purpose besides with dealing with this problem or that problem. Also, seeds on the surface are so much more prone to being eaten and gobbled up by the bird and other animals of the adversary.

But when the the seed is planted, other things change. Again, we are not the planter in this metaphor, we are the seed. God is the planter, and when He chooses to plant us, imagine what the seed can go through. It was on the ground, in the sun, possibly not alone, but surround by others. A false feeling of being safe. Now it is in the cold, moist ground. It is dark here. No light. Filled with loneliness. If this was the end of our state, then it would truly be horrible, but God, our Planter, has something better in mind.

After He plants us, He waters us and nourishes us, wanting us to grow, wanting us to use the blessings He gives us in faith to break out of our shell, and reach for the sunlight again. That we may sprout and gain root and begin to grow.

However, if we do not use these blessings He gives us, and just let the water soak us, it gives place to molds and rot. This should be used as a reminder and a warning. In Alma's parable, he points out that if the seed is good, it will grow, if it is bad, it should be plucked away. There is two indicators as to if the seed is bad. First, if the seed does not grow, even though it was watered and nourished. Therefore, do not think that you are a "bad seed" because you do not see yourself growing. At this stage, it is your choice whether or not to use the nourishment and blessings God gives you, and He will give you enough. If you are using it, but do not see yourself growing, that might just be because you are buried deeper than you think or wish,  but that also means that you are likely meant to be something bigger and stronger that you thought you were.

Thus, God is taking a chance with us. He knows us, He knows whether or not we are ready, and whether or not we can grow. Only if He thinks it will be worth His time, does He plant and nourish the seed. Then it is up to us. Do we allow the loneliness, despair and darkness to overwhelm us, and rot us away, or do we use it to break forth and become what we are meant to become. 

I may not have been buried alive before, but I know what it feels like to be buried alive by my emotions, by despair and loneliness. I think that everyone must go through this at some point in their lives, if only for the initial repentance process to come closer to Christ. This I know as well, there is hope, you can expect things to get better, because God does want things to get better for you. 

I am reminded of a quote by George E Carpenter: "Our only concern should be to do better than we did yesterday. Step-by-step is the law of growth. God does not expect the acorn be a mighty oak before it has been a sapling." After this first change of heart, this redemption from darkness, what are we to do with the light now shining on us? Grow and become better, stronger. God does not expect too much from us, just to do what we were made and designed to do, with the resources He has given us. 

I would now like to remind you, your roots are still in the dark. Remember, though you have the light now, it does not mean that the dark of night will not come, that despair will not come from time to time. Yet we need to remember, that it is only for a small moment, and do not let it consume us. Just because your roots, your anchor, your past, has been in the dark, it does not mean that it is holding you back. Indeed it makes you stronger. It makes it so that when the winds blow, and the floods roll, and the lightning strikes, you can still progress, still have life in you, and continue to grow. 

Just because life wears on you, and at times, seems like it is trying to kill you, don't let it. God has bigger, better plans for you. 

As again with the roots. Roots grow as well, and we need to let them. When the rough times come, we need to focus on growing our roots. Though they are still in darkness, if we build upon them, as a firm foundation, we can soar higher and higher. 

Once we have grown big and strong enough, that we can weather most of life's challenges, then what are we to do? We begin to produce fruit, with acts of service or love, words of kindness and compassion, things that benefit the lives of others, and not just our own, Or, as I left off earlier, there is the second example Alma gives of a "bad seed". This bad seed is one who produces bad fruit. This is also a choice, but made later in life. It is what you decide to do with your life, after you have established it. Thus, the good fruit is the good things you do, and the bad fruit, the bad things you do. 

As a reminder, trees bear fruit throughout their lives, usually after they mature a bit. Then, they start off with one or two fruit, and only produce more, after they grow a bit more. 

This brings us to the thing that distresses and troubles me the most. It usually brings me down the darkest of despairs. When the purging happens. In John 15:2 it says that "and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring for more fruit." In my life, when truly begin to feel like I am accomplishing something, doing something good, or well, that it is bearing fruit in my life, and I can rejoice with it.... it is taken away. God, our Planter, our Gardener, he purges our fruits from us, that they may be laid up in store for us, and for others to benefit from after this life. It has been the most heart wrenching thing I have gone through, and it has happened countless times throughout my mission, and my life. As long as I keep trying and bearing fruit, it will continue to happen to me. 

I expect that most of you, who read this, have felt the same, felt like right when you get a handle of things, everything falls apart. Try to remember that during these times, God is, almost saving the game, saving all that you have accomplished, to be magnified and multiplied hereafter, and with this moment of saving, we have the opportunity to produce "more fruit". He is so merciful in this way, though we may not always see it. 

Like the Mormon Message: The Will of God

God has plans for us. He know what He wants us to be. He knows how happy we can be, how much fruit we could have. We need to trust in Him, even if we are being pruned or purged. I have often enjoyed the old saying, "When God closes a door, He opens another one." Though, this is not very accurate. When God closes a door, He is allowing us to open another one. He does not open it for us, He may tell us which door to try, but ultimately, we have to open that door and walk through it. 

I hope that you have learned from this metaphor, or parable of the seed. I did not directly establish which kinds of seeds or plants each of us are, for God has different purposes and expectations for each of us. I just hope, that these general examples will help you keep your hope, grow your faith, and trust in God and His plan as your Planter and Gardener. Feel free to comment below, especially if anything I have said has inspired you.

Love,

Jacobugoth