There was a dark season in my life when I asked for help, but no one would give it to me. Nothing changed when I cried out for God to change the people around me and the abusive circumstances I was in. My everyday realities were hard and became very destructive. I had to decide if I was going to change what I could in me and how I chose to see life or if I was going to feed the anger, pain, helplessness, and despair. Would I choose negativity and pessimism or hope, truth, and faith?
Evaluate the Condition of Your Soul’s Soil
Whether you are in a difficult circumstance or a good place in your life, you must take time to evaluate the condition of your soul’s soil at the beginning of a new season in life or according to the calendar. People are creatures of habit, and it’s easy to get going on a roll and get distracted from noticing anything in our soul that needs to be tended to with Jesus. We must always be aware of any weeds beginning to grow.
Let’s say someone hurt you deeply. You forgive them, but you keep thinking about it. You may not realize that forgiving someone for a deep wound is a process that takes time and often comes in layers. When you are unaware of these facts, you may dismiss thoughts about your wound without realizing that you need to go through another layer of forgiveness to break free. When you don’t pay attention to any unforgiveness, it can grow deep roots like a weed and choke away the good things in your soul.
Our mind, will, and emotions are the gate to our soul’s garden. Only we can choose to sow healthy, unhealthy, or toxic seeds in our soul’s soil and allow them to grow or pull them out. As disciples of Christ, we are responsible for having good soil, so when we study the word of God, it takes root and grows strong. Jesus explains how many believers become frustrated, live without the abundance of Christ, or even walk away in a parable. I matched the corresponding verses of Christ’s explanation to the statements in each example.
Jesus said. "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.
5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 14 The sower sows the word. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately, they fall away.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." (Mark 4:4-8, 14-20, ESV)
We Must Work with Jesus to Bear Fruit
Jesus is clear that we must have good soil, so when we hear the word we accept it, grow it, and bear fruit. This process is a tangible way to see how our faith is working and maturing in our life. If you are struggling with doubt, discouragement, helplessness, or despair, I encourage you to ask Jesus to help you open your heart and soul to him and hear his words of life.
Choose to trust a Savior who took on your sin, died for you, and rose again. Trust Jesus, your King, to help you through the Holy Spirit and bear the abundant fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control. Work with Jesus and let other believers teach you how to study God’s word. Let him empower you to take back your mind, soul, and life. Live for Jesus now and as you walk with him into eternity!
