What's In Your Garden?

How do we get what we want?  Is there a sure way to get good in return?  What must we do to be happy?  These are some big questions, especially in a world that may feel like nothing is certain.  Today I would like to write a little about a few things we can do that will certainly wield rewards we can count on.  I have been reading the New Testament.  The other morning in my studies, I came across a few verses of scripture in Galatians chapter six.  It is simple, but has such a powerful message.  Verses 7-9 read,

"7Be not decieved; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

The Apostle Paul taught a great lesson.  What we sow, or do, is what we will reap, or receive.  So if we want to receive good things, we must do good.  If we turn back a page, Paul tells us what are some good things and bad things we can sow.  He tells us what things are good, or of the Spirit.  He also tells us what things are bad, or of the flesh.  

What things are good?  Galatians 5: 22-23 tells us what things are good.  They are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.  When we do show things, we can be assured that Heavenly Father will give us a blessing.  "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21)  That doesn't mean that life will be perfect, but we will avoid problems that come with disobedience. 

What things are bad?  Galatians 5 also teaches us what things we should avoid because they are bad.  They are found in verses 19-21.  They are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, and revellings.  If we do these things and don't repent of them, Paul taught "that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (end of verse 21)

Satan tries to tell us that we can do both and be okay.  This is a lie.  Galatians 5: 16-17 read, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."  We can't do both, because they are opposites.  We must choose one or the other.  A garden will never prosper when it is full of weeds.  We must weed out the bad seeds, so that we may reap the fruit of the good.  I testify that as we do this, Heavenly Father will greatly reward us.  Life may not be perfect, but we will be happy.


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