Struggling to go deeper with God is something I believe everyone deals with because it takes effort, and it is a spiritual battle. Perhaps this is a struggle you are currently engaged in. The Lord is calling you into deeper water, but you may be hesitating. Also, when we go deeper with God the temptation is to retreat because it is a greater spiritual battle.
Jesus was teaching a very large crowd that had gathered around him, so He got into a boat. He then told many stories in the form of parables. A “parable” is an illustrative story, by which a familiar idea is cast beside an unfamiliar idea in such a way that the comparison helps people to better understand and grasp the unfamiliar idea.[1] In today’s story, the parable of the sower and the seed represents God’s word, and the soil symbolizes the condition of people’s hearts.
Seed that Fell Along Shallow Soil
As the sower sows the seed, there are four different types of soil and one of them is shallow or rocky soil. Jesus uses this illustration to help people understand how a shallow heart responds to the word of God. Mark 4:6The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.[2]
Jesus goes on in Mark to give us further understanding of the seed that was sown in shallow soil. Mark 4:16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.[3] To counter a shallow heart you must go deeper with the Lord. This is not easy but is very rewarding in a spiritual sense.
How Can I Change the Condition of my Heart?
We can’t change our hearts on our own, but we can with God’s help. This is good news when we struggle with going deeper with God. Maybe you tried in the past to go deeper with God and failed, but God has not given up on you. He is again calling you to go deeper with Him. As we pray, He will give us guidance on how to move from being shallow soil to good soil.
2 Corinthians 5:17“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” [4] When we become people of faith, it changes everything including the ability with God’s help to become good soil.
Prayer
Heavenly Father I confess that the condition of my heart is shallow soil preventing me from fulfilling the plans that you have for my life. I pray Lord Jesus that you would help to live the new life in Christ and my heart would become good soil. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you are struggling to go deeper with God, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mark-why-some-never-come-to-faith
[1] https://www.simplybible.com/f663-what-is-a-parable-defined.htm
[2-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.