The Cares of This World

 

 

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

 

There is always something to choke the Word of God from producing fruit in us. We can “hear” a Word from God in our hearts to encourage our faith, but then we allow the cares of the world to block its truth from coming to life in us. Real faith is of the heart, and a heart feeding on the cares and desires of the world will not be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. It will not be strong in faith.

 

Many sincere believers ask why they struggle in life—why their marriages aren’t good, why their kids are messed up, why they are sick and have no peace. There is none of the abundant life Jesus promised. Could the “cares” and “desires” of the world have hardened their hearts to the things of God? Their hearts are not hungry for the Word. They don’t take the time to pray and meditate on the Word. Thankfulness is foreign to them because they haven’t taken the time to meditate on God’s blessings. They are just too busy.

 

What is the cost of the cares and desires of the world choking out God’s Word in our hearts? We live desperate lives filled with anxiety, fear, doubt, and bitterness. We become resigned to the way things are instead of believing by faith that what God says is true. The enemy uses the cares of the world—its distractions and its desires— to steal, kill, and destroy God’s Word from ever producing its truth in us.

 

The greatest distraction in our lives today is technology. It has changed our lives. We have the internet, social media, television, streaming services, email, and smartphones with apps that offer unlimited choices. Technology can bless our lives, but it can also hurt our relationships with others and with God. It can isolate us from His Word and keep it from producing fruit in us. We don’t have to let technology steal our time, relationships, and hearts. We can determine to use it to fill ourselves daily with the Word of God and the revelation of the Holy Spirit. We can use it to benefit our faith instead of allowing it to steal our faith. 

 

Whatever distracts us from God—whatever we use to keep us from His Word and our relationship with Him—comes against our faith. But our faith is strengthened when the Word is sown in our hearts and guarded from the distractions the world creates. The incorruptible seed of His  Word ultimately produces fruit in our lives. We reap the benefits of His truth. 

 

God is always speaking to us. Many don’t hear Him because they are not tuned in to Him. They are tuned into other things. Distractions have pulled them away from their first love. From the very moment God created us, we have been His first love. He revealed His love for us in our creation, and then when sin had destroyed the beauty of our relationship with Him, He revealed His love again when we were recreated in Christ. So, why is God not our first love?

 

The cares of the world choke God’s Word from producing its truth in us. Let’s not allow the cares of the world and its desires to choke our hearts and our faith. Let’s love to be with our Creator as much as He loves to be with us. 

 

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