Day 13: Eliminating Distractions

Scripture

Now, these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Mark 4:18-19 (NKJV)

Devotion

The Parable of the Sower is one of Jesus’ most famous parables, and it’s packed with profound pearls of wisdom for every believer to mine out. Today, I want to focus on the third of the four different types of people Jesus referred to in this parable, because I think this one describes many believers in the Body of Christ today.

Here, Jesus is talking about a person who hears the Word and who applies that Word to his life to the point that he begins to bring forth good fruit. But when the cares and deceits from the world begin to crowd into his life, those thorns start to choke out the Word to the point that his life becomes unfruitful.

Friends, we must not let ourselves become deceived. The greatest joy of the enemy would be to distract us from our call to build God’s Kingdom by turning our hearts away from God, and instead, onto greed, lust, anxiety, fear, success, or any other thing that would take the place of God in our lives. Thorns are ANYTHING that would distract us from God, from spending time with Him, and from fulfilling His purposes for our lives. God is a jealous God, and He wants to be FIRST in your life. And remember the promise in Matthew 6: when we seek Him first, all His blessings will follow!

Application

Take some time today to be brutally honest with yourself. Quietly go before God and ask Him to search your heart to see if there is anything in your life that is crowding Him out...anything that you are putting first before Him. And if He graciously reveals something to you, be diligent to make the needed changes.

Prayer

God, thank you for pursuing me even when I don’t pursue you. Thank you for sending Jesus for me to pay for my sins when I was running away from you. Thank you for desiring relationship with, and tearing down the dividing wall of hostility between me and you. Please help me to prioritize time with you in your word and prayer. Help me to eliminate distractions, and create Kingdom habits that put you first in every area of my life. Help me to give generously instead of live for greed. Help me to walk in purity instead of lust. Help me live to build your Kingdom, not my own. Help me honor you in all my relationships. Make me like you Jesus. Make me like Mary, who sat at your feet to hear your word. In Jesus name, amen.