What You Sow Is What Will Show
I love the desert. I once bought a packet of Joshua Tree seeds, thinking I could grow something beautiful and wild in my little corner of the world. I planted them with high hopes. I even had special pots, good lighting, and daily reminders to water. I was ready for something epic.
But after months of nurturing, the plant that started to grow didn’t look quite right. At first, I told myself to wait. It was probably just slow. But eventually, I had to admit the truth. This wasn’t a Joshua Tree. It wasn’t even close. fyi I found fascinating information about desert flowers HERE.
Turns out, I had planted the wrong seed.
No amount of watering or sunlight or miracle grow could fix the fact that the seed I planted would never become what I expected. And the more I stared at that strange little plant, the more I saw a mirror of how many of us live.
We work. We try. We strive. We pray. But when we look at our lives, we’re confused by the results.
Why am I still stuck?
Why don’t I feel peace?
Why does everything feel off?
It might not be about how hard you’ve worked or how much effort you’ve put in. The issue might be with the seed.
Because whether you know it or not, you are always planting something.
Every decision is a seed.
Every conversation is a seed.
Every habit, thought, and action is a seed.
And the truth is this: What you sow is what will show.
It doesn’t matter how well you hide it. Sooner or later, the harvest reveals what’s been growing under the surface.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians is not just a call to faith. It is a warning about what kind of life we are building, and what kind of seeds we are sowing along the way. In Galatians 6, he challenges believers not to be deceived. You cannot sow one kind of seed and expect a different kind of harvest.
This principle is not just spiritual. It’s practical. It touches leadership, marriage, mental health, friendships, habits, and ministry. It shapes how we parent, how we serve, and how we carry influence.
You may not like what is growing in your life right now. But instead of focusing on the fruit, maybe it’s time to look at the seed.
Are you planting truth or convenience?
Are you sowing humility or performance?
Are you investing in the Spirit or the flesh?
In the sections that follow, we will explore what Scripture says about the power of sowing. We will look at how it shapes leadership, how it affects our influence, and how God honors what we plant in faith.
You may not be where you want to be. But your future is not random. It is the result of seed planted over time.
What You Sow is What Will Show.
1. You Can’t Fake the Fruit: What You Sow Is What Will Show
We live in a culture obsessed with outcomes. Followers. Revenue. Recognition. Results. But one of the most unshakable truths in leadership and life is this: what you sow is what will show.
You can’t plant dysfunction and expect to harvest peace.
You can’t sow mistrust and expect to see loyalty.
You can’t lead with ego and expect people to follow with passion.
What you sow is what will show.
Paul’s words in Galatians 6:7 are sobering and clear:
“Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.”
You can’t shortcut spiritual truth. What you sow in your attitude, your relationships, your choices, and your daily patterns is what will show over time. Your fruit is simply the evidence of your seed.
This applies to every part of life and leadership.
In your marriage, if you sow distance through silence, what you sow is what will show. Emotional connection dries up when communication breaks down.
In your workplace, if you sow fear or micromanagement, what you sow is what will show. Trust disappears and innovation stalls.
In your spiritual life, if you sow inconsistency and apathy, what you sow is what will show. That disconnection from God is not random. It is the fruit of what’s been planted day after day.
Leaders can want fruit without the process. But fruit is not random. What you sow is what will show, and that includes the things no one else sees.
You Reap What You Sow… Eventually
For most of us, the issue isn’t effort. It’s endurance. You might be sowing the right things, but it feels like nothing’s happening.
But sowing is slow. Seeds take time. There’s movement happening even when nothing is visible. And that is why what you sow is what will show is both a warning and a promise. If you’ve been sowing faithfulness, through prayer, service, sacrifice, or discipline, your harvest will come.
The key is to stay consistent. You can’t sow kindness on Monday and bitterness on Friday and expect peace to take root. You can’t switch between faith and fear and expect breakthrough. What you sow is what will show, not just in your intentions, but in your patterns.
God is not mocked. Not because He’s punitive, but because He is consistent. He has built the principle of sowing and reaping into the fabric of how life works. And He honors it.
Look at the Planting, Not the Platform
If you want to evaluate a leader, don’t start with their influence. Start with their investment.
What are they sowing when no one is around?
What are they feeding in their thoughts and words?
What kind of seeds are going into their decisions and rhythms?
Because what you sow is what will show. Every time.
You don’t stumble into peace, joy, or healthy relationships. You plant for it. You sow truth. You sow grace. You sow courage. And over time, that harvest begins to show.
If you don’t like what’s growing in your leadership or life, ask yourself one question:
What have I actually been sowing?
Not what you meant to sow. Not what you hoped to sow. What seeds have you actually placed, day by day, in the places that matter most? Did you plant a Joshua Tree Seed, or a weed?
Because what you sow is what will show. Not just eventually. Inevitably.
2. Self-Deception Is the Real Enemy of Growth
Paul doesn’t begin Galatians 6:7 with a warning about others. He begins with a warning about us.
“Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.”
The danger isn’t always external. It’s internal. The truth is, we don’t always recognize what we sow into our very self. Self-deception convinces us we’re planting something good, when we’re actually placing something harmful in the ground.
You may think you’re sowing peace, but you’re really sowing passivity.
You may think you’re sowing strength, but you’re sowing control.
You may think you’re sowing connection, but you’re actually sowing performance.
This is why self-awareness is critical. Because what you sow is what grows. And what you sow always produces something. You may not see it right away, but eventually, the fruit will match the seed.
What You Sow Shapes Every Part of Your Leadership
This principle applies to every area of your life.
If you scroll for hours and call it rest, what you sow is distraction.
If you avoid confrontation and call it wisdom, what you sow is resentment.
If you overwork and call it excellence, what you sow is burnout.
If you share gossip and call it honesty, what you sow is disunity.
What you sow doesn’t just stay in the ground. It shows up in your habits, your emotions, your relationships, and your leadership. You may hope for a harvest of peace, but if you’re sowing stress, that’s what will grow.
Leaders Must Be Honest About What They Sow
Great leadership begins with honest planting. If you want healthy outcomes, you have to name the seeds. Not the seeds you intended. The seeds you’re actually sowing.
Ask yourself:
- What am I really planting right now?
- Am I calling something healthy that’s actually harmful?
- Am I sowing for comfort or for character?
What you sow today will shape your tomorrow. If you keep sowing fear, you will lead from fear. If you keep sowing insecurity, it will show in your decisions. If you sow with clarity, faith, and love, the harvest will reflect that.
What you sow matters. What you sow builds something. What you sow is never neutral.
If you want to change the harvest, you have to change the seed.
Because what you sow is what you grow.
And what you sow is what people will see.
3. You Can’t Plant in the Flesh and Expect a Spiritual Harvest
In Galatians 6:8, Paul contrasts two kinds of sowing.
“For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.”
This is one of the clearest leadership principles in Scripture. There are only two types of seed, the kind that feeds your flesh, and the kind that aligns with the Spirit.
You get to choose what you plant. But you don’t get to choose the harvest. If you plant selfishness, insecurity, or fear, you will not reap peace or purpose. You cannot sow from the flesh and expect spiritual results. What you sow is what will show.
What Does It Mean to Sow to the Flesh?
Sowing to the flesh means planting seeds that prioritize your own wants, your own timing, your own comfort, and your own control. It often looks harmless at first. But over time, it leads to anxiety, burnout, isolation, and inner conflict.
Here’s what that might look like:
- If you chase validation and call it leadership, what you sow is insecurity.
- If you manipulate outcomes and call it stewardship, what you sow is control.
- If you entertain temptation and call it curiosity, what you sow is compromise.
- If you withhold feedback and call it grace, what you sow is stagnation.
It’s easy to label these things as “normal.” But the seed is still what it is. And eventually, it will grow.
You don’t need to feel guilty. But you do need to be honest. What you sow will show, and that includes the seeds planted in secret.
What Does It Mean to Sow to the Spirit?
Sowing to the Spirit means planting obedience, even when you don’t see immediate results. It means trusting God’s process over your own preference.
Examples include:
- Forgiving someone who doesn’t deserve it. That’s a seed.
- Praying when no one notices. That’s a seed.
- Staying faithful in a season that feels dry. That’s a seed.
- Speaking truth in love when it would be easier to stay quiet. That’s a seed.
These aren’t flashy. They’re slow. But they are real. And they produce something deeper than applause or recognition. They grow peace. They grow character. They grow eternity.
Flesh Always Demands Now. The Spirit Builds for Later.
The flesh wants comfort, validation, and escape. It tells you that you need more money, more followers, or more control to feel secure.
The Spirit invites you to plant truth, love, faithfulness, and trust. It asks you to surrender the timeline, let go of comparison, and invest in something that may take time to grow.
You can plant selfishness and call it self-care.
You can plant isolation and call it independence.
But the results will come, and they will reflect what you actually sowed.
Don’t Be Shocked by a Harvest You Planted
Paul says, “God is not mocked.” That word means “sneered at” or treated like a fool. You can’t fool the system of sowing and reaping. You might avoid consequences for a while. But eventually, they will surface.
This isn’t about punishment. It’s about reality. It’s about alignment. If the harvest you’re seeing is destructive, it means the seed was flesh. If the harvest brings peace, clarity, and lasting impact, the seed was Spirit.
You always reap the harvest.
And what you sow is what will show.
4. Your Content Is a Seed
In today’s digital world, leadership doesn’t just happen in person. It happens on screens, in posts, in comments, and in the stories you share. Whether you’re a pastor, entrepreneur, creator, or coach, your content is part of your influence. And just like everything else in life, what you sow is what will show.
Every piece of content you publish is a seed.
It may feel small or insignificant, a caption, a quote, a quick video, but over time, those seeds grow. They shape how people perceive you, how they feel when they hear your voice, and whether they trust your leadership. As a pastor I have had to learn that I don’t get to sow whatever I want into social media or blogs. I don’t have that freedom, but it is more about the reality that what I sow will show up in my congregants.
What Kind of Seeds Are You Sowing Online?
You don’t need to go viral to make an impact. What matters is the quality of the seed.
Ask yourself:
- Am I sowing encouragement or judgment?
- Am I planting honesty or image?
- Is my content rooted in purpose or performance?
If your goal is to sow into people’s lives with truth, inspiration, or transformation, then the way you show up online matters. You’re not just gaining followers. You’re planting something in hearts and minds, even if you don’t see the growth right away.
And remember, what you sow will show in your “brand”, your audience, and your influence.
If you want more on this check out https://www.nathanmcwherter.com/faith-based-social-media-5-s-before-you-post/
5. Don’t Quit the Garden Just Because It Feels Quiet
There’s a moment in every leader’s journey where the temptation to quit feels louder than the call to stay.
You’ve been praying. You’ve been planting faithfulness, grace, and truth. You’ve done the hard work behind the scenes. But it feels like nothing’s changing. No growth. No fruit. Just silence.
Paul speaks directly to this moment in Galatians 6:9:
“Let us not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.”
This verse is a reminder that spiritual seeds take time. They’re not instant. They don’t respond to deadlines. And they certainly don’t grow on your schedule.
Leadership in the Spirit means planting without applause. Serving without recognition. Sowing obedience with no guarantee of when the harvest will come.
But God promises this: what you sow is what will show, if you don’t give up.
It Feels Like Nothing Is Happening. But Something Is.
Just because the seed isn’t visible doesn’t mean it isn’t working. Some of the most powerful transformation happens underground, in silence, in seasons that feel still.
You may be sowing forgiveness in your marriage and wondering why things still feel distant.
You may be sowing humility in your team and wondering why they haven’t responded.
You may be sowing prayer over your children and wondering why you don’t see change.
But what you sow doesn’t show up immediately. It develops gradually. Consistency is the key.
The Enemy Wants You to Quit Before the Breakthrough
The enemy of your soul knows he can’t stop the harvest. But he can try to convince you to stop sowing.
He’ll whisper lies like:
- “This isn’t working.”
- “You’re wasting your time.”
- “Nobody sees this.”
- “You’ll never see the results.”
But those are not the voice of the Spirit. The Spirit calls you to endure. To trust. To keep planting the right seeds even when everything in you wants to walk away.
Every quiet act of faithfulness is a seed.
- The conversation you initiate, even though it’s awkward.
- The prayer you pray when you don’t feel anything.
- The boundary you hold when it would be easier to give in.
These are seeds. And what you sow is what will show.
The Harvest Is Coming, But Not on Demand
“In due time.” Those three words in Galatians 6:9 are easy to read and hard to live.
Due time doesn’t mean your preferred time.
It means the right time.
The appointed time.
The God-ordained moment that only He can see.
This kind of sowing requires you to believe in a harvest you can’t yet see. To trust that your investment has value, even when nothing is showing above ground.
You may be in a season where results are minimal and momentum feels gone. But if you’ve been planting in faith, the work is not wasted. The seed is not forgotten. The process is not broken.
You are not sowing in vain.
God Sees Every Seed
You may feel like no one notices what you’re doing. That your labor is invisible. But God sees every seed. Every unseen moment of obedience. Every time you choose integrity over image. Every time you choose truth over convenience.
And He promises, not hopes, not suggests, He promises that you will reap a harvest if you do not grow weary.
The moment you feel like quitting may be the moment the breakthrough is closest.
Keep planting.
Keep believing.
Keep showing up.
Because what you sow is what will show.
6. In Time, What You Sow Will Be Seen
Galatians 6:9 doesn’t just tell us not to grow weary. It gives us a time marker, even if it’s frustratingly vague:
“Let us not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.”
“In due time” is one of the most difficult truths to accept, especially in leadership. We like control. We want timelines. We crave results. But the seeds we sow in faith don’t respond to urgency, they respond to obedience.
God is not interested in quick results.
He is interested in deep formation.
And that always takes time.
The Seed Knows When to Rise
In the desert, months can pass without a single drop of rain. The ground looks barren. Lifeless. But beneath the surface, seeds lie waiting. And when the rain finally comes, the desert explodes with color. Flowers bloom in places that looked hopeless. Life erupts where everything once seemed dry.
Your life might feel like that desert.
You’ve been sowing in prayer.
You’ve been sowing in discipline.
You’ve been sowing in humility.
You’ve even sown in tears.
And still, nothing seems to be changing.
But just because you don’t see movement doesn’t mean your seed is wasted. The delay isn’t denial. It’s preparation. What you sow in faith is never lost.
When the time is right, God will send the rain. And when He does, what’s been planted will break through in ways that take your breath away.
What you sow is what will show, in due time. And when it does, it won’t be subtle. It will be stunning.
Don’t Rush What God Has Rooted
We live in a culture that rushes everything, but spiritual growth is slow on purpose. If God allowed every seed to grow instantly, we’d start worshiping the result instead of the process.
Think of Joseph.
He sowed integrity in private.
He sowed faithfulness in suffering.
He sowed trust in betrayal.
But the harvest didn’t come for years.
Think of David.
He was anointed as king,
but he went back to the field.
He kept sowing obedience while waiting for the promise to unfold.
The pattern is consistent. The people God uses most are often the ones who spent the longest time planting when no one else noticed.
The Harvest Will Speak for Itself
When the harvest finally comes, you won’t have to announce it. It will speak for itself.
- The marriage that survived the storm.
- The child that comes home.
- The breakthrough that no one thought was possible.
- The peace that shows up in the middle of pressure.
These are not accidents. These are harvests. These are the result of spiritual seeds planted in faith, watered in tears, and waited on in trust.
So if you’re still waiting, keep waiting.
If you’re still planting,keep planting.
What you sow is what will show. Because God is faithful.
7. Keep Sowing, Even When It’s Slow
This is the part of the journey where many leaders give up.
Not because they are lazy.
Not because they are unfaithful.
But because they are tired.
Tired of doing the right thing without results.
Tired of showing up without recognition.
Tired of praying, leading, forgiving, serving, and staying consistent when no one seems to notice.
Paul knew that weariness was a real threat. That is why he wrote,
“Let us not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.” — Galatians 6:9
This verse is not a suggestion. It is a promise. The harvest will come. But it will not come on your schedule. And it will not come if you walk away from the field before the process is complete.
What you sow is what will show. But only if you stay long enough to see it.
Growth That Lasts Is Almost Always Slow
The seed does not respond to your frustration. It responds to your faithfulness.
The leadership that makes a lasting impact is not built in a day. It is built over seasons of quiet obedience. It is built through choices no one else sees. It is built by refusing to quit just because the results feel far away.
You do not need to see the harvest to know your seed is working. You just need to keep planting what is good. Keep speaking life. Keep building with integrity. Keep loving without condition.
Every time you do, you are planting again. And the field does not forget your faithfulness. The Spirit does not overlook your consistency. God sees the seed.
And in due time, what you sow is what will show.
The Most Impactful Leaders Are the Ones Who Stay
They stay when it would be easier to leave.
They serve when it would be easier to be seen.
They listen when it would be easier to defend themselves.
They keep sowing, not because it is easy, but because they know what is at stake.
If your leadership feels small right now, remember this. The seed always looks insignificant compared to the harvest it contains.
You do not need to do something big. You just need to keep doing what is good.
Keep leading your family with grace.
Keep leading your team with humility.
Keep leading your community with prayer and presence.
It matters more than you know.
Obedience Will Outlast Emotion
Feelings fade. Motivation rises and falls. But obedience remains.
If you wait to feel inspired before you plant again, your field will stay empty. But if you commit to showing up, even in weariness, the harvest will follow.
God never asks you to grow the seed. He only asks you to plant it.
That means the pressure is not on you to produce the result. Your role is to keep sowing the right things, even when the outcome is unclear.
You may not see anything yet, but trust this. Your seed is still alive. Your obedience is still working. Your leadership is still building something that heaven recognizes.
Because what you sow is what will show. It is not a matter of if. It is only a matter of when.
You Are Not Done Planting
A few days after I preached this message for the first time, someone handed me something unexpected the next day. A real Joshua Tree. Not just a picture. Not a metaphor. The actual plant. AND someone else gave me freshly harvested Joshua Tree seeds, real ones, straight from the source.
I had spent over a year unknowingly watering the wrong seed. I gave it time, care, attention, and hope. And while that experience became the sermon, God didn’t stop there. He sent the real thing afterward.
Even when you have planted the wrong thing in the past, even when you’ve been discouraged, even when it feels like nothing is growing, God has a way of honoring your faithfulness and speaking to you through the harvest.
If you feel like you are running out of strength, know this. You are not out of seed.
You still have kindness to give.
You still have wisdom to share.
You still have truth to speak.
You still have love to offer.
Do not underestimate the seeds you still carry. They may be quiet. They may be small. But they are powerful. They are eternal.
You have not missed your moment.
You are not too far behind.
You are not forgotten in the field.
You are a sower.
You are being shaped by the Spirit.
And your harvest is ahead, not behind.
So keep planting. Keep trusting. Keep showing up.
Because what you sow is what will show.
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