Luke 8:14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
Recently my husband was pruning our rose bushes when a thorn got stuck in his finger. He thought he’d removed it, but by evening he still felt its prickly presence. He became so distracted by the tiny invasion, that he could focus on nothing else until he successfully removed it. (Thanks to a magnifying glass, needle and tweezers).
Bob Goff writes that, more than anything, distractions keep us from growing. He says Satan doesn’t want to destroy us, he wants to distract us, that “distractions are the un-gift that keeps taking.”
I think some of those distractions land in the form of thorns, like the “cares, riches and pleasures of life” Jesus warned about. He said thorny soil would choke out our faith and destroy our fruit. Like thorns, distractions crowd out the good seeds.
One commentator writes symptoms of seeds falling among thorns include feelings of restlessness, of mental and emotional exhaustion, of strained and shallow relationships. The thorns overtake our thoughts and affections, leaving no room for the fruit that comes from reflection and repentance.
Friend, do any of those symptoms fit you?
Maybe there’s too much clutter in your life. Clutter that keeps you more focused on yourself than God. Don’t be like those who hear the Word of God but fail to get rid of the thorns. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you reshape your priorities and make room for new growth. Every time we fall on our knees and ask God for help, it’s like taking a sickle to the thorns. Let’s not let the distractions of life choke out our fruit.
When my husband set out to prune the rosebushes, he knew if he didn’t get rid of the dead, damaged branches, the roses could not bloom to full capacity. Even though he was wearing gloves, those thorns pierced right through. So beware of the thorns the enemy sends your way. Distractions are a part of life, but don’t let them overtake what matters most.