They who sow in tears shall reap with joyful singing.
He who goes back and forth weeping, carrying his bag of seed [for planting],
Will indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. – Psalm 126:5-6
The beginnings of mercies encourage us to pray for the completion of them. And while we are in this world there will be matter for prayer, even when we are most furnished with matter for praise. Suffering saints are often in tears; they share the calamities of human life, and commonly have a greater share than others. But they sow in tears; they do the duty of an afflicted state. Weeping must not hinder sowing; we must get good from times of affliction. And they that sow, in the tears of godly sorrow, to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting; and that will be a joyful harvest indeed. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be for ever comforted. When we mourn for our sins, or suffer for Christ’s sake, we are sowing in tears, to reap in joy. And remember that God is not mocked; for whatever a man soweth that shall he reap, Ga 6:7-9. Here, O disciple of Jesus, behold an emblem of thy present labour and future reward; the day is coming when thou shalt reap in joy, plentiful shall be thy harvest, and great shall be thy joy in the Lord. – Matthew Henry
Spiritual husbandry when it comes to ourselves — Sorrow and suffering are the result of sin; and sin is interwoven with our very nature. But the Christian has not done with sorrow and tears, although through faith, which is of the operation of the Spirit of God, he has been led to trust in that Saviour who died for him, and the burden of transgression has been rolled from his oppressed spirit. Could the veil which now separates us from futurity be drawn aside, and those regions of everlasting happiness and sorrow which strike so faintly on the imagination be presented fully to our eyes, it would occasion, I doubt not, a sudden and strange revolution in our estimation of things. Many are the distresses, for which we now weep in suffering or in sympathy, that would awaken us to songs of thanksgiving; many the dispensations which now seem dreary and inexplicable, that would fill our adoring hearts with thanksgiving and joy. – W. Carter
Living for the Heavenly Kingdom:
The kingdom is Christ as the Spirit,
Who works within our heart alway;
Dispensing all His riches to us
And building up His church today.
Our inner man empower now by your grace and glory;
And by your Spirit fill us daily, train us daily, change us daily, work unceasingly.
Oh, Christ our hope of glory, conform us to your image;
That we may now be faithful servants, and partakers of the kingdom in the coming age!
We’ll pursue the reality,
Build the church in sincerity
And deny all the worldly lust and vanity.
We give our heart to you, Lord, do rule and reign within us;
We’ll learn obedience in the things wherein we suffer, press toward the goal so glorious!
65 Bible Verses about Reaping What You Sow
What does the Bible say about sowing and reaping?