Break Up the Fallow Ground

Farmers clearly know that nothing grows in fallow ground. Fallow ground is a field that may have yielded much fruit in the past, but has been left unworked for a while or ground that has never been used. As a result, it becomes hard and yields nothing but weeds. The ground needs to be tilled, fertilized, watered and prepared in order that plans can take root to grow. Often times, we allow parts of our lives to lie dormant and is not fed by the Spirit and we do not grow in grace as a result. We keep parts of our lives hidden from God and sometimes from ourselves. Past hurts lie buried like the rocks in a farmers field that discourage strong, healthy growth. Relationships become strained because of weeds that are allowed to grow in the gardens of our lives. The call of God through Hosea is break such fallow ground if we are to be productive.
Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.

Jesus is calling each and every one of us to sow in righteousness and reap in mercy. He calls us to plant our fields with His good works. He asks us to dig up those rocks and pull out those weeds. He tells us to break up our fallow ground for it is time to grow. Life will become a rut if we neglect the garden of our soul and just rush about attending to the things that we need to. So where do we begin? The first step and responsibility to break up the falow ground lies with each of us.
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
What can we do? Our repsonsibility is to plow the ground with prayer and break the clods by coming to Him with a broken humble spirit.
Colossians 4:2-4:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Once the ground of our heart is open to the Lord in prayer in humility, we are then ready to sow the seed of God's word. As God shows us righteousness from His word, we need to obey and walk away from unrighteousness. When we do this, the weeds do not choke the word of God but the word of God will start producing fruit and the Holy Spirit will Himself water our souls!
2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
John 7:37b-39a
..If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive..

Is there a part of your life or heart that has become fallow ground? Are there weeds and rocks hindering the garden of your soul? Break up your fallow ground with prayer and coming back to His word and allow the Holy Spirit to water your soul and walk in righteousness. Seek the Lord with your whole heart, soul and mind! Then along with David you can truly say, "He restores my soul, my cup runs over."