1 Corinthians 9:10
Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
When a farmer plows his field, he plows with the hope of having a good crop. No farmer will put all that hard work into plowing if he doesn’t expect to get a good crop from his labor. You see, plowing is not planting; plowing is breaking up the field that is grown over with weeds to prepare it to be planted. You plow a field with a hope that you can grow a crop to sell.
As a boy, we had a small portion of our backyard that my mom wanted to plant some tomato plants. She told me to go to the backyard and plow that area where she wanted the plants to be planted. Our backyard was hardened from the lack of rain of a California summer. We rented a rototiller and I started the hard work of plowing the backyard. When I finally got everything broken up, I then began to plant the tomato plants with a hope that we would get tomatoes, and we did get many tomatoes out of those plants.
God commands you to plow in hope. Why would you do anything for the LORD without a hope that what you are doing will result in something happening? There ought to be a hope with everything you do for God that fruit will come from your efforts. Faith is part of the ingredient of plowing in hope. It takes faith to have hope, and it takes hope to have faith, but both working together as you serve God is what produces great fruit. There are a few areas where you should plow in hope.
First, plow in hope as you go soul winning. You will never lead anyone to Christ if you never expect to see anyone saved. When you go soul winning, you should have an expectation that you are going to see someone saved. You will be surprised how much the hope and expectation that you are going to see someone saved changes the way that you go soul winning. You will find that when you plow in hope as you go soul winning, that you will present the Gospel in a manner that you expect that person to get saved.
Second, plow in hope as you work to see Christ change the lives of those with whom you are working. If the ministry worker had a hope that those they are working with will eventually come around, it keeps them from being discouraged when they see little to no improvement in that individual. If you don’t expect anything out of those you are working with, you will get nothing out of them. However, if you expect God’s Word to do a great work through those you are working with, you will find the hope of God changing lives will give you a vision for that person that makes a great impact on their lives.
Third, plow in hope of the miraculous. You will never see the miraculous happen in your life if you don’t expect God to do the miraculous through your life. The expectation of the miraculous is what gives you the drive to attempt the miraculous. My friend, God is the God of the miraculous, and you should attempt great things for God with a hope that He will choose to do the miraculous through you.
Let me ask you, do you plow in hope? Everything you do should be done with a hope that God can do good with it. You will find that you will reap what you hope for when you plow in hope. Never plow in doubt; always plow in hope.
